U.S. President Candidates Hold Differing Views on Auto Industry

Washington DC April 16, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that Douglas Holtz-Eakin, an economic adviser to the Republican presidential candidate John McCain, reacted yesterday to suggestions from Sen. Hillary Clinton that she would back a federal bailout if necessary to prevent Detroit's Big Three from going bankrupt.

"Senator Clinton's comments are Senator Clinton's comments. We prefer to have car companies that are internationally competitive and don't need financial help from the federal government, and we believe they have that opportunity," Holtz-Eakin said.

According to the Detroit News, Clinton said it's important to keep a strong auto industry. "We've got to maintain an American automotive manufacturing base, because it is essential to what I want to do to expand manufacturing generally," Clinton said.

"Her position on this is as president, would be a major concern for her if one of our major companies is threatened, and if president she would take steps to deal with that," Neera Tanden, Clinton's chief policy adviser said.