At auto show, Obama takes swipe at Romney [View all]

[highplainsdem]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/31/us-usa-obama-autos-idUSTRE80U2BC20120131

(Reuters) - After getting behind the wheel of shiny new American cars at a Washington auto show, President Barack Obama took a veiled swipe at his most likely White House opponent Mitt Romney for having opposed the 2009 auto bailout.

"The U.S. auto industry is back," Obama told reporters who watched the Democrat take the driver's seat in a number of vehicles, including fuel efficient and electric models, muscle cars, SUVs and trucks made by General Motors (GM.N) and Chrysler.

"It's good to remember the fact that there were some folks who were willing to let this industry die. Because of folks coming together we are now in a place where we can compete with any car company in the world," he said.

GM regained its title as the world's top-selling automaker in 2011, less than three years after the bailout that many Republicans, including Romney, decried as wasteful.

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