Wagoner disagrees with Lutz on global warming, bets against states' rights

John Neff — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, GM

Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors, is a player in the auto industry. So when he sits down to have breakfast with reporters, you can bet that some juicy quotes will be delivered. Speaking on a number of topics recently at a breakfast with journos, Wagoner set the record straight that he does not share the view expressed by Bob Lutz that global warming is a "crock of $#!t". Of Lutz's famously quoted remark, Wagoner said, "The comments weren't coming out of our company." No, just the mouth of your Vice Chairman.

Wagoner also took some time to address the issue of states' rights when it comes to setting national emissions standards. Despite Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain all stating that they are for allowing individual states to set their own emissions standards, Wagoner thinks the lucky winner of the highest office in the land will change his or her mind after moving into the White House. He counts on our nation's economic growth being a bigger priority for the next president, something to which the auto industry can't contribute if it's forced to build different versions of its vehicles to satisfy multiple emissions standards.

Click either of the sources below to read a few more topics touched on by Wagoner over his green eggs and ham.

[Source: The Detroit News, Automotive News - sub. req'd, Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty]

Wagoner disagrees with Lutz on global warming, bets against states' rights originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lutz defends "crock of sh*t" comment about global warming

John Neff — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Green, GM

Did you hear the one where Bob Lutz calls global warming a "total crock of shi*t"? Yeah, he did say what you just thought he said, though the most Maximum of Bobs added that he's just skeptical and doesn't deny the theory completely. He's interested in green transportation technology, but for different reasons than perhaps a die-hard, tree-hugging liberal. It's all about weening our nation off the teet of imported oil for Bob. Regardless, the interwebs went wacky with the "crock of sh*t" quote, and Bob has taken time out of his busy schedule to address those digital pundits that have given this story its legs.

Yesterday on the GM Fastlane Blog, Lutz tried to get people to look past his own beliefs and at the bigger picture, saying "The point is not why and how did we get where we are, it's what are we going to do to get where we're going." And he goes on to state what that big picture is: removing the automotive industry entirely from the environmental equation. That's REALLY big picture stuff, but Bob claims that this goal is what motivates the decisions being made at GM right now. Of course, he also admits that he gets paid to do what makes the most business sense for GM. Fortunately, those two things seem to be in harmony more and more as these green conscious times intensify.

[Source: GM Fastlane Blog]

Lutz defends "crock of sh*t" comment about global warming originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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