Ford to Richard Shelby: Suck. On. This.

/20 Comments/in /by

Ford points out that the manufacturers in Richard Shelby’s state all hopped on the SUV gravy train, too.

Throughout the 1990s and into this decade, we became increasingly dependent in the U.S. market on trucks and large SUVs, which were in heavy demand by consumers and generated large profits. Many of our competitors, both foreign and domestic, likewise followed market demand and added more truck and SUV products to their lineups.

How are those Honda Pilots made in Alabama doing, Shelby?

image_print
20 replies
  2. bmaz says:

    The Pilot is one of the blandest, most boring piles of crap on the road. It is made ok and all that, but it is so plain worthless boring, it would make you yearn for an Explorer that is about to roll over.

  5. MadDog says:

    …we became increasingly dependent in the U.S. market on trucks and large SUVs, which were in heavy demand by consumers…

    As a former marketeer, can I say that this is typical marketing BS?

    Kinda like drug cartels saying that they were forced into the business because their customers demanded drugs.

    Though I didn’t expect an admission of guilt (marketeers never admit anything), I was hoping they wouldn’t pull out this tired, old, discredited whine.

  8. MadDog says:

    From the Ford beg:

    Our recommended terms of the loan would be: (i) at government borrowing rates…

    Might as well start out negotiating asking for the best rate; knowing full well that you ain’t gonna get it.

  9. MadDog says:

    An interesting bit of trivia – Based on the document’s properties, I’m guessing the author of the Ford Beg document is: David G. Leitch, group vice president and general counsel for Ford Motor Company

    Leave it to a lawyer to plea-bargain with Washington. *g*

    • emptywheel says:

      You are fucking brilliant, MD!!!!

      David Leitch is Fredo’s Fredo:

      Prior to joining Ford as general counsel in April 2005, Leitch served in the White House as Deputy Counsel to President George W. Bush. In that capacity, he advised the President and his staff on a variety of legal issues, including issues involving the war on terror, judicial nominations, legislative proposals and ethics.

      He also advised BushCo on how to deal with the Plame inquiry.

      REmember how I said that a bunch of Bushies got dumped into the auto industry? Leitch leads that list. I think they did it bc BUsh woudln’t speak to them otherwise.

      In any case, nice catch…

  10. MadDog says:

    Wonder how the response to a Harry and Nancy question in this bit will go over with a) Government; b) Wall Street; c) Taxpayer:

    Protect taxpayers by granting the most senior status for any government loans provided, ensuring that taxpayers get paid back first.

    We recognize the importance of the federal government protecting the taxpayers’ interests in connection with any loans made to the automakers. Senior status of government loans could, however, exacerbate our challenges and the problems in the financial system by causing certain existing debt to be in default…

    …A condition of senior status for any government loan could cause lenders or holders of our debt to allege a debt default, which could result in an acceleration of indebtedness and lead to the very result the legislation was designed to prevent, namely, a liquidity crises…

    …We would be pleased to discuss this matter further with the Committees should that prove helpful to a better understanding of the difficulties presented by the proposal to grant taxpayers the “most senior status.”

    a) Government Response: Waaaaa…Ok, we’ll blink.

    b) Wall Street Response: Back of the line mofos!

    c) Taxpayer Response: Fooked again!

  12. MadDog says:

    Dagnabbit, my eyeballs are closing. I’m gonna fall asleep and break my nose on my keyboard if I stay up any longer.

    EW, I haven’t quite finished with the Ford Beg document, and doG knows what is gonna be in the GM – worse and Chrysler – worser Beg documents.

    It’s been a while since we had such tasty forage in a document dump, so I hope you plan on continuing the saga all day tomorrow!

    Night all!

  13. klynn says:

    EW, I am jealous. I would have LOVED to title an Oxdown with the words “Richard Shelby”, “suck”, “on” and, “this”.

    Nice catch MD. An important one too. Talk about strategy. Ford is good. Just when Bush thinks it cannot get worse. No bailout would be even worse. A Ford lawyer going public on Bush-Gonzo…rock bottom.

    Popcorn please.

Comments are closed.