Paul Ryan Defends Attacking Obama Over Auto Plant Closed in ’08

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Paul Ryan defended his mention of a GM plant in his district that closed in 2008 under President Bush in an interview with CNN, saying it was indicative of Preisdent Obama’s economy.

“It’s still idle,” he said. “The point is this is a story of the obama economy. A man running for president in 2008 making all these grand promises and then none of them occurring.”

Ryan lobbied White House auto czar Steve Rattner in 2009 to reopen the plant, but was told that the administration doesn’t make decisions about individual car companies’ production lines. He has not said if he still supports spending federal dollars to rescue a single private plant in his district, but frequently chides Obama for “picking winners and losers” in the economy. 

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: