Romney Campaign Press Release - Research Briefing: McCain Pessimistic About Michigan's Future

"Romney talked about reviving the auto industry, but McCain said some Michigan industries cannot be resurrected. 'I've got to give you some straight talk: Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back,' he said. 'They are not. And I am sorry to tell you that.'" (Michael Levenson, "Staking Out The Next Battlegrounds," The Boston Globe, 1/10/08)

Sen. McCain Doesn't Believe In The Future Of The U.S. Auto Industry:

Sen. John McCain: "Some Of The Jobs That Have Left The State Of Michigan Are Not Coming Back." "Romney talked about reviving the auto industry, but McCain said some Michigan industries cannot be resurrected. 'I've got to give you some straight talk: Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back,' he said. 'They are not. And I am sorry to tell you that.'" (Michael Levenson, "Staking Out The Next Battlegrounds," The Boston Globe, 1/10/08)

Sen. McCain Says He Is Merely "Aware" Of Michigan's Woes:

Sen. McCain: "I'm Aware Of The Economic Difficulties Here In The State Of Michigan." "'I'm aware of the economic difficulties here in the state of Michigan,' McCain said at a rally in Grand Rapids, just a few hours before Romney arrived." (Michael Levenson, "Staking Out The Next Battlegrounds," The Boston Globe, 1/10/08)

Sen. McCain Says He Doesn't Fully Understand Economic Issues:

Sen. McCain: "'The Issue Of Economics Is Not Something I've Understood As Well As I Should." "Like Mike Huckabee, who joked recently that he 'may not be the expert that some people are on foreign policy, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night,' McCain suggested to reporters Monday that American consumer culture offered a short cut to expertise. 'The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should,' McCain said. 'I've got Greenspan's book.'" (Sasha Issenberg, "McCain: It's About The Economy," The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/, Posted 12/18/07)

- Sen. McCain: "I Still Need To Be Educated." "On a broader range of economic issues, though, Mr. McCain readily departs from Reaganomics. His philosophy is best described as a work in progress. He is refreshingly blunt when he tells me: 'I'm going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.'" (Stephen Moore, "Reform, Reform, Reform," OpinionJournal.com, 11/26/05)

Gov. Romney Will Fight To Revive Detroit's Auto Industry:


Gov. Romney: I Will Fight For The Automobile Industry. "'I always thought someday I'd be in the car business,' Romney told the crowd in Grand Rapids yesterday. 'Well, now I think I could do more to help the car business and to help Michigan by becoming president than by going to a job in the car industry.'" (Michael Levenson, "Staking Out The Next Battlegrounds," The Boston Globe, 1/10/08)

"Romney Gets The Auto Industry... You Can't Say That About Any Other Candidate In Either Party." "He'd change it, he says, by helping automakers develop new technologies and by finding ways to reduce health care costs. Romney gets the auto industry -- in fact, he's offered himself up to run an automaker if this politics thing doesn't work out. You can't say that about any other candidate in either party." (Nolan Finley, "Like His Dad, Mitt Romney's A Car Guy," The Detroit News, 11/1107)

Gov. Romney Knows That Washington Does Not Have A Solution For The Industry's Problems. "'I keep hearing this thing about why doesn't Detroit build cars that we want, and it drives me nuts,' he says. 'Detroit is making great cars. Look at the Mustang [he drives one]. The U.S. auto manufacturers are burdened in excess of $2,000 per vehicle in health care and retirement costs. They have to make a car that is competitive for $2,000 less, and that's not easy to do. They've done a remarkable job. They're really quite creative and able.' That's not the kind of talk you hear much from Washington." (Nolan Finley, "Like His Dad, Mitt Romney's A Car Guy," The Detroit News, 11/1107)

Gov. Romney Knows Michigan's Problems And Takes Them Personally:

Gov. Romney: "It Pains Me Both As A Michigander By Roots And Also As An American To See Our Manufacturing Base In The Auto Sector Erode." "'I grew up in the automobile industry,' the former Massachusetts governor and GOP presidential hopeful says. 'The biggest time of the year was the auto show at Cobo Hall. And I want to see the American automobile industry succeed. It pains me both as a Michigander by roots and also as an American to see our manufacturing base in the auto sector erode. I want that to change.'" (Nolan Finley, "Like His Dad, Mitt Romney's A Car Guy," The Detroit News, 11/1107)

Gov Romney: "We Need To Have Somebody Who Cares Very Deeply About This State – And I Do." "'I've watched with concern as I've watched Michigan go through a one-state recession,' the former Massachusetts governor said, standing on a chair and yelling without a microphone. 'It's just not right, and we need to have somebody who cares very deeply about this state – and I do.'" (Michael Levenson, "Staking Out The Next Battlegrounds," The Boston Globe, 1/10/08)

Gov. Romney: "Michigan Is A State Going Through A One-State Recession." GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "And I recognize that when Michigan is hurting, it is a precursor of what could happen to the entire country. Because our manufacturing base, if it's threatened there, it's threatened everywhere. And so for me, Michigan is not just, oh, one state that I hope they're doing well. No, for me, Michigan is a state that has to do well. Michigan is a state going through a one-state recession." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks, 1/9/08)

Gov. Romney: "I'll Make A Commitment: If I'm President, That One-State Recession Is Over." GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "It ain't working and you're going to find that that experiment is going to be rejected by the people of Michigan who want instead, somebody who knows, cares and loves that state and will fight very hard to help it come out of its one-state recession. I'll make a commitment: if I'm president, that one-state recession is over." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks, 1/9/08)

"And I want to do a better job for the American worker. And by the way, this is key for Michigan. And for me, Michigan is personal. I'm going to go to work to help Michigan." – Gov. Mitt Romney (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)