Chrysler's bipartisan bailout "partnership for technology transformation" effort

With the Democratic National Convention wrapping up tonight and the Republicans getting ready for their convention next week, this is a good time to take a look at one of the automakers who is/will be at both events. Chrysler's VP of external affairs, John Bozzella, talked about his experiences in Denver this week trying to get "Congressional support for funding the auto industry's technology transformation to build a new fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles." Please, don't call it a bailout.

In an interview at the Chrysler site The Firehouse (subs req'd), Bozzella said that after talking to Dems this week and GOP members next week, he hopes that a new technology partnership that would support automakers as they design vehicles that use less fuel and emit fewer greenhouse gases could be funded before next year. The partnership would loan automakers money "to transform Chrysler and the industry at a time when the capital isn't available to do so. That's why it's important to Chrysler because it gives us the access to capital to drive ENVI, to drive our hybrid strategy and to continue to make progress across the fleet on fuel economy. It's important to the country because we can't make progress on energy security and reducing greenhouse gases without a significant contribution from the auto industry." Somebody make a note of that.

[Source: The Firehouse (subs req'd)]