GM says CEO will drive to Washington

[dkf]

GM grounds jet for Washington trip, says CEO will travel by car to appear before Congress

DETROIT (AP) -- A General Motors spokesman says Chief Executive Rick Wagoner will travel to Washington, D.C., later this week by car instead of flying a commercial airline or corporate jet.

Spokesman Tony Cervone says Wagoner will drive in a Chevrolet Malibu hybrid sedan when he makes the 520-mile trek from Detroit to Capitol Hill.

Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally also is driving from Detroit for a second appearance before two legislative committees to seek $25 billion in government loans. Chrysler LLC CEO Robert Nardelli will not travel by corporate jet. A spokeswoman says his travel plans will remain secret for security reasons.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081202/autos_ceo_travel.html

[Earth_First]

1. I'd be curious to see what the initial mileage on that vehicle is before the trip. n/t

[okieinpain]

2. "secret for security reasons." I don't blame them those pies can

be pretty dangerous.

[blondeatlast]

3. Whatta man! Whatta sacrifice!

:eyes:

[bdamomma]

26. yea really.

[GodlessBiker]

4. Ya, see. They're learning. They're not as dumb as they look sitting at the witness table.

[blondeatlast]

5. It would be damn near impossible to BE as dumb (or as wide- and starry-

eyed) as they do at the witness table.

Deep in their hearts, you just have to know all they want is to help their fellow man.
They are created out of pure light and wonder and beneficence...

[dkf]

6. And maybe he can get some decent PR for the Malibu hybrid.

IMO they need to rename that thing. Malibu is sooo old. The car looks not bad though, and he did get me to look it up! I hope he drives the 26/34 MPG version. The V6 still gets pretty bad mileage.

http://www.chevrolet.com/2009malibu/#malibu-hybrid

[Enrique]

7. road trip!

i hope the Malibu has a kickass stereo.

edit: wouldn't this make a great movie? But who to play the CEO?

[Earth_First]

8. Equipped with Sirius/XM and OnStar no less! n/t

[dkf]

9. The guys on SNL?

:)

[Fumesucker]

10. Al Pacino would be my choice..

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118971/

[Neshanic]

21. Tahoe with foul odor from Nardelli in the back seat farting. Every Home Depot they pass he

tells GM head moron riding shotgun and Ford imbecile driving, "Hey I used to run that place!" Nardelli also stiffs road trip money quest companions at Taco Bell drive ups saying "I left my wallet in the plane".

[hogwyld]

11. What happens

if he's late due to mechanical breakdown?

[LeftHander]

12. They get the money anyway...and the maker goes under...anyway...nt

[dkf]

13. It got a JD Power award for highest ranked initial quality for midsize car.

I'd think that means they didn't have too many breakdowns.

http://www.chevrolet.com/2009malibu/comparison/awards/

[Kalyke]

25. Thank you.

I was about to post - again - about how much better American cars are, how this isn't 1988 and how the most recalled cars are Japanese for the past several years.

But, your post works, too. :)

:hi:

[wtmusic]

14. Wait, I think I hear Brad Sherman chuckling over his morning paper...nt

[TreasonousBastard]

15. Gawdalmighty-- what a bunch of chickenshit nonsense! The...

head of the world's largest industrial concern can't use the corporate jet.

Can they put their sackcloth and ashes on the expense account?

They are simply asking for a bridge loan until car sales (hopefully) pick up in the spring-- what's the big problem? And how do they convince a bunch of lawyers who never ran a lemonade stand, much less a factory, that they have a plan?

[Deja Q]

16. Ah, but in which vehicle? Lexus, Mercedes, drug dealer BMW, Jaguar, Pinto...

:scared:

[dkf]

17. Malibu Hybrid.

The man finally got a clue.

[arcadian]

18. I personally don't give a shit.

I think the whole invented controversy over how they got to D.C. was staged and ridiculous. Of course they are coming on company jets. They are the friggin' CEOs. I think this crap was invented by the media or possibly the CEOs themselves to deflect critical thought from the real problems in the American automotive industry.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

19. i hope they enjoy the PA turnpike

between the Ohio line and Breezewood.

[DemoTex]

20. Fly on the airlines like most people would do. Enough stunts.

Sorry Ricky-boy, we all smell yet another publicity stunt from yet another out-of-touch CEO. Get yourself a ticket on a commercial airline, preferably coach (they need the revenue). Fly in and out of DC with minimum of fanfare and hoopla.

Spare us the embarrassment of having to watch the media treat your "road-trip" as legitimate, hybrid Malibu or not. Or get you a driver like Dean Moriarty (from Kerouac's On the Road) and really make a splash.

[gollygee]

22. Just fly commercial

And as an added touch, fly coach. Grandstanding is not necessary.

[DemoTex]

23. GMTA

:hi:

[gollygee]

24. LOL yeah I saw yours above just after I posted

:hi:

[thewiseguy]

27. Obviously flying in a plane is elitist

:eyes:

[JonQ]

28. I would be skeptical taking a ford on that long of a trip

"Fixed Or Repaired Daily" isn't just a bit of humor at their expense.

[librechik]

29. good, at least he's driving a hybrid. Too bad it's not an electric car

now that would be a statement