Corker Visits NAIAS Show To Mend Fences

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox invited Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) to the North American International Auto Show in an op-ed piece that appeared in the Washington Post on Monday of this week. Corker seized the opportunity and flew into Detroit on Tuesday to do just that.

Corker caught the tail-end of the press preview of the show and created quite a stir in his three-hour visit. The senator from Tennessee, who was a vocal critic of the Big Three in last month's failed attempt to legislate a bail-out loan, arrived at the show on Tuesday in an effort to mend fences.

Corker visited the GM, Ford, Chrysler and VW displays, and had a closed meeting with GM President Fritz Henderson. The senator was quoted as saying that he realized "he wasn't very popular here," referring to his opposition to a bailout loan for GM and Chrysler. After Congress failed to secure a legislated loan package, the Bush administration released $17.4 billion in loans, some of the terms of which resembled the legislation Corker had been advocating. Corker wasted no time in trying to claim credit for the bailout loan, despite the fact that his plan failed in the Senate.

The senator spend a lot of time looking at the hybrid and alternative vehicles the automakers had on display at the show. He said he was particularly impressed by the Ford Fusion, the Chevy Volt, and the Cadillac Converj concept. He also spent time talking to a design engineer from Chrysler about the company's hybrid and electric vehicle plans.

Despite the visit, Corker was not optimistic about Chrysler's chances for survival as an independent company. Without a merger, says Corker, Chrysler is done. Corker also expressed ongoing concern about GM's cash position, but was more optimistic that Congress can do more to assist the automakers.

Photo Courtesy of General Motors