The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Customer Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out

  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Times News Services
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Алекс Овечкин
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
    • Donne Travels
    • Lives Common
    • National Pastime
    • Politics 101
    • Stories of Faith
    • Civil War
    • Middle - America
    • Chicago Blue State
    • Zadzooks
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Inside the Beltway
    • Inside the Story
Home > News > Editor Favorites

McCain revs up auto workers

Says green cars will bring jobs

By Andrea Billups (Contact) | Saturday, July 19, 2008

  • Bookmark and Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Print
  • [-][+] Font Size
  • E-Mail Alerts
  • Tell a Friend
  • Got a Question?
  • You Report
  • Click-2-Listen

WARREN, Mich. | Sen. John McCain on Friday told auto workers to have faith that alternative technology vehicles will re-energize their sagging industry and help reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil.

"I believe that this new technology - it's more than an automobile - will create hundreds and thousands of jobs," the Republicans' presumptive presidential nominee said at a town-hall meeting with about 500 General Motors Corp. employees. "This breakthrough has every chance of success."

Mr. McCain toured a facility where the struggling automaker is designing a new battery-powered hybrid vehicle, and spoke to employees while flanked by several models of GM's emerging fuel-efficient cars and trucks.

Mr. McCain's upbeat remarks were welcome at GM, which has been hit hard financially and has offered employee buyouts after posting a record $38.7 billion loss in 2007, the largest in automaker history.

The company continued its spiral this year, with losses of $3.25 billion in the first quarter. Earlier this week, GM announced another series of layoffs and other cutbacks as its stock dipped into the $9 range, its lowest level in 50 years.

Michigan went to Democrats Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, but Mr. McCain believes the state could be in play this year. He trails Democratic opponent Sen. Barack Obama by about eight percentage points in recent opinion polls, but has deployed Mitt Romney, son of a former Michigan governor, to the state to try to boost his standing.

Democrats said during his time in the Senate Mr. McCain has voted against increasing fuel efficiency standards and has supported other policies the Democratic National Committee said result in jobs moving overseas.

The DNC also pointed to Mr. McCain's votes against worker re-training programs as a problem in a state like Michigan, where manufacturing jobs have fled.

Making his second visit in a month to a Detroit-area auto facility, Mr. McCain met with GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer G. Richard Wagoner Jr. and other executives during his tour Friday morning. He has said that while he does not favor a bailout of the "Big 3" automakers, he is committed to seeing U.S. automakers succeed with improved technology.

He said a boost should come from his plan to offer a tax credit of up to $5,000 to encourage consumers to buy alternative energy vehicles like GM's new Volt.

Continue reading 12Next

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

Bookmark and Share

Comments

Read Comments

Post your comment:

Please login or register to post a comment

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

  • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain tells General Motors workers in Warren, Mich., Friday that "thousands of new jobs" will be created by alternative energy vehicles as Detroit's automakers bring the new technology on line.

Click the photo to enlarge.

Advertisement

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. GOP hits Pelosi for mouse funds
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Career diplomats protest Obama appointments
  3. CIA chief urged to 'correct' record
  4. Obama agenda stalls on Capitol Hill
  5. EDITORIAL: Stonewalling on Walpin-gate

Most Shared

  1. EXCLUSIVE: Career diplomats protest Obama appointments
  2. GOP hits Pelosi for mouse funds
  3. PRUDEN: Ministry of Apology would cure all ills
  4. Obama agenda stalls on Capitol Hill
  5. EDITORIAL: Killing Cap & Trade
  6. YON: Girl with no future
  7. EDITORIAL: Stonewalling on Walpin-gate
  8. EDITORIAL: Passing unread laws
  9. EDITORIAL: Sotomayor's secret files
  10. Pelosi's mouse slated for $30M slice of cheese

Most Commented

  1. Jeb Bush, GOP: Time to leave Reagan behind
  2. WH communications director leaving
  3. Freddie Mac acting CFO found dead
  4. Kerry aims to rescue newspapers
  5. Fidel Castro: Obama 'misinterpreted' words
  6. President Obama said those who approved harsh interrogation techniques for suspected terrorists may be subjected to criminal charges. Do you agree?
  7. President Obama said those who approved harsh interrogation techniques for suspected terrorists may be subjected to criminal charges. Do you agree?
  8. Gibbs: Pay no attention to what Rahm said
  9. Politics' Talking Heads Highlight Speaker Series
  10. Fleecing Mike Ditka

Poll

Will you be traveling this 4th of July weekend?

Market Data

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.