Skip to content
Sponsored

Obama Wants Car Czar to Accompany Big Three Aid

More details of a possible Obama administration-led auto industry bailout emerged yesterday when Politico reported that the president-elect wants a "high-profile point person to oversee reforms" attached to any financial aid.
9:37 AM PST on November 12, 2008

More details of a possible Obama administration-led auto industry bailout emerged yesterday when Politico reported that the president-elect wants a “high-profile point person to oversee reforms” attached to any financial aid.

Specifics about the proposal remain unclear. But the transition team
says Obama suggested to President Bush on Monday that aid to the auto
industry could be coupled with the appointment of “someone in charge of
the auto issue who would have the authority” to push for reforms. The
details came from a more extended readout of the White House meeting
provided Tuesday.

It will be interesting to see how this proposal plays in Detroit, where
resistance to change, even in the marketplace it serves, may be the
biggest contributor to its current predicament. In the meantime, how
might the next president balance his union sympathies and urban policy cred in the name of auto industry “reform”?

Photo of Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York'’s dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Friday’s Headlines

April 17, 2026

Pasadena Adopts Most of the 710 Stub Vision Plan

April 16, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines

April 16, 2026

After Reelection Loss, Chair Fernando Dutra to Leave Metro Board

April 15, 2026

Wednesday’s Headlines

April 15, 2026
See all posts