Obama Touts Auto Industry Success On Michigan Campaign Stop
DEARBORN (WWJ/AP) - President Barack Obama returned to Metro Detroit on Wednesday, appearing at a fundraiser at The Henry Ford in Dearborn. Speaking to about 600 people, one of the first things the President addressed was the comeback of the American auto industry.
"I placed my bets on American workers. Today GM is back on top as the number one automaker in the world, Chrysler's growing faster than any other car company, Ford is investing billions in plants and factories all across America," said Obama. "The American auto industry is back, and that happened because of you."
Obama spoke also about his health care bill, but he said the change can't stop there.
"We're still recovering from the worst economic crisis of our generation. But the good news is is over the past two years businesses have added over 4 million new jobs, our manufacturers are creating jobs for the first time since the 1990s. Now we've gotta keep it going.
"The last thing we can afford to do is to go back to the very same policies that got us into this mess in the first place," Obama said.
Both friends and foes greeted the President upon his arrival in Michigan.
Obama high-fived a young boy after deplaning from Air Force One at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Wednesday afternoon. The boy waved an American flag as he sat on a man's shoulders.
About 50 well-wishers were on hand.
Later, about 100 people picketed outside the Henry Ford event, carrying signs criticizing Obama's management of federal spending. Seventy-year-old Lucille Fritz of Livonia said she opposes the rising deficit and "what Obama is doing for the country."
Following the Dearborn event, Obama was scheduled to attend a small-scale, high-end fundraiser at the Bingham Farms home of local businesswoman Denise Ilitch.
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