Mitt Romney’s opposition to auto bailout defended by Michigan surrogates

On the campaign trail with Felicia Sonmez

Three of Mitt Romney’s Michigan surrogates on Wednesday defended the former Massachusetts governor’s opposition to the 2009 auto industry bailout, arguing that Romney showed courage in standing up for a politically unpopular position in a swing state where the auto industry is the lifeblood of the economy.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R). (AP Photo/The Post And Courier, Grace Beahm)“He was right in opposing the bailout of the auto companies when you look at how it all ended up,” Hillsdale College Professor Gary Wolfram told reporters on a conference call Wednesday, noting that Romney was in favor of “controlled bankruptcy.”

Also on the call were Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Michigan state Rep. Aric Nesbitt. The call came one day after Romney wrote a Detroit News op-ed defending his position on the auto bailouts, a position which he first laid out in a 2008 New York Times op-ed titled, “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.”

“What should’ve happened is exactly what Governor Romney suggested early on. ... I think people understand these bailouts were not a good idea,” Wolfram said.

Patterson, who is the executive of one of the counties where Romney ran strongest four years ago, said that the former Massachusetts governor “didn’t tell people what they wanted to hear” on the bailouts.

He also echoed Romney’s argument that the cash infusions were more about “propping up” the United Auto Workers than they were about rescuing the auto industry.

Michigan primary on Feb. 28 will be a key battleground between Romney and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who has demonstrated appeal among blue-collar voters in early-state contests. Michigan is Romney’s home state and is also the state where his father, George Romney, served three terms as governor.

Both Wolfram and Patterson said Wednesday that they’re confident Romney will win the state.

“I’m 90 percent positive he’s going to win Michigan,” Wolfram said of Romney.

Patterson said he thought the Wolverine State would be “a big win for Romney.”

“He’s a known quantity in Michigan,” Patterson said. “We know him; we trust him; we like him. ... I think he takes it rather strongly.”