President rallies Detroit autoworkers, touts federal bailout

DETROIT - To rousing applause, President Obama on Friday cited as examples of the "American worker" the 14 Chrysler employees who kept their jobs even after they each won $1.2 million in the Powerball lottery this summer.

The President then gave a personal shout-out at Chrysler's Jefferson North plant to William Shanteau of Curtice in northwest Ohio, who bought that winning ticket for himself and his coworkers at the plant.

Before recognizing the lucky lottery winners - Mr. Shanteau wasn't fortunate enough to be in the crowd - President Obama touted his $60 billion bailout of the auto industry as a success, exemplified by the U.S. automakers' recent economic growth and job creation.

"I placed that faith in you and all of America's autoworkers, and you've vindicated that belief," he told more than 1,500 employees at the plant, who raised cameras, cell phones, and cheers as the President took the stage in the middle of the floor.

The two other options the administration considered two years ago - giving federal assistance without asking for changes or letting the automakers flounder - would have resulted in 1 million jobs lost, a huge blow to the economy, he said.

The industry has improved since Chrysler and GM were nearly liquidated in 2008.

The auto industry has added 55,000 jobs in the year since GM and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, making it the strongest year of job growth in the industry since 1999. White House officials estimate that Detroit automakers could add 11,000 jobs before the end of this year.

President Obama said it was the first time since 2004 that the automakers were operating at a profit.

Chrysler Group reported a $143 million operating profit for the first quarter of this year, after receiving $15 billion in federal assistance. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne announced yesterday the addition of nearly 900 jobs at a plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., which was designated to close in 2012.

President Obama's visit took place on the same day it was announced that the nation's economy grew at a 2.4 percent rate in the second quarter. The President said the auto industry and the nation still have a long way to go completely recover.

After taking a tour of the Chrysler plant and greeting workers, the President made a similar visit to a General Motors plant in Hamtramck, Mich., one of nine plants kept open during a scheduled summer production shutdown.

There he buckled himself into a battery-powered Chevrolet Volt and drove it about 10 feet, then called it a "nice ride" and one of the "cars of the future." Manufacturing fuel-efficient technology, such as battery-powered cars in the United States would create more jobs and further stimulate the economy while reducing the dependence on foreign oil, he said.

At each plant, he signed his name in permanent marker on the hood of a vehicle.

Despite the bailout's success, many in Washington originally were not on board with his plan to assist the industry, the President noted. The audience loudly booed as he described the "just say no" crowd who thought the idea would result in failure and who would have to retract those statements if they could see the plants themselves.

Unlike those "naysayers," Mr. Obama promised he would "bet on the American worker any day of the week."

The American workers who formed his audience in Detroit were eager to show their gratitude and excitement. During the two-hour wait before the President finally took the stage after noon, the workers organized several waves from one side of the floor to the other.

Many wore shirts that emphasized their patriotism and support for the President.

Angel Gomez, an employee from Detroit, said his hands were shaking and sweating from excitement throughout the whole speech.

Without the bailout, Mr. Gomez, 47, said he would have "been living with a relative or been homeless."

The President is expected to visit Columbus Aug. 18 to give a public speech about the economy and participate in a fund-raiser for Governor Ted Strickland and the Ohio Democratic Party.

Information from The Blade's news services was used in this report.

Contact Aliyya Swaby at:

Aswaby@theblade.com or

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President Obama addresses workers at Chrysler Group's Jefferson North plant, where he praised American workers for their role in the resurgence of the U.S. auto industry. PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS / AP Enlarge

To rousing applause, President Obama on Friday cited as examples of the 'American worker' the 14 Chrysler employees who kept their jobs even after they each won $1.2 million in the Powerball lottery this summer.