Ford TV Ad Slams Obama Auto Bailouts

[Purveyor]

Source: U.S.News & World Report

America is still fighting over President Obama's costly bailout of Chrysler and General Motors. Especially the owners of Ford, the only member of Detroit's "Big Three" who rejected the government dole and emerged perfectly healthy.

In its most political ad in the so-called "Drive One" ads where real drivers are thrust before cameras to explain why they picked Ford, a real Ford F-150 pick-up driver is featured.

His name is Chris. After he sits down the "reporters" bark "Chris, Chris." One asks him to explain why "was buying American important to you."

Sitting and looking sincere and serious, Chris says: "I wasn't going to buy another car that was bailed out by our government. I was going to buy from a manufacturer that's standing on their own: win, lose, or draw. That's what America is about is taking the chance to succeed and understanding when you fail that you gotta' pick yourself up and go back to work. Ford is that company for me."

MORE...

Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/09/16/ford-tv-ad-slams-obama-auto-bailouts

[MichiganVote]

1. Shut up Ford. Any job in Michigan is a good job.

[julian09]

23. Ford sold Bentley, Jaguar,Volvo,Land Rover killed Mercury

Bill Ford lucked out by mortgaging Ford to the hilt just before 08 crash, even their logo. Mullany was at the hearings for bailout as were the ceo's of GM and chrysler but backed out because he didn't really need the loan and embarrassment of the hearings.

[TheWraith]

26. Not to mention, Ford benefits indirectly from GM's survival.

Both companies buy many of their parts from the same sorts of suppliers. Without GM, a lot of those suppliers would be in trouble, which would translate to Ford having a hard time manufacturing vehicles.

[Lucky Luciano]

30. This is exactly right. Very few people know that Ford simply top-ticked

the credit bubble in 2008 with some huge bond offerings at relatively low interest rates that provided them with the cash they needed to survive the 2008 crash in the fall. They were not "oh-so-brilliant" otherwise.

[Firebrand Gary]

77. Hmmm how did they for see this??? That's an interesting question. Was it a "Flash of Genius?"

[No Elephants]

53. Are we sure it was only luck, no info from someone like Paulsen?

[frazzled]

2. I'm not sure it's a slam--it's more pride in the fact they didn't need a bailout

They're knocking GM and Chrysler for being so bad that they needed it. Ford was doing fairly well and therefore did not need (or solicit) a bailout.

[TheDebbieDee]

3. I haven't seen the commercial but your point of view makes sense

to me.

Ford is simply crowing over the fact that they didn't need to be bailed out like their other US competitors. And they have a reason to crow!

[RKP5637]

13. That's what I think too. They are using it to show the financial strength

of Ford as opposed to GM and Chrysler. Anyway, that's what I got from it ...

[frylock]

15. that was my interpretation as well

[Fla_Democrat]

42. If it was a bank/cu

running ads that highlighted that they didn't take any loans.. that they were not "too big to fail", but rather small enough to care, and serve their customer base... I wounder how many people tweaked over the Ford ad would be giving the financial institution the ol thumbs up.... :shrug:







:smoke:

[Union Scribe]

46. Yep.

If people would quit popping blood vessels in this thread and think about it for a minute, they'd get that.

[JanMichael]

45. Ford pushed Cash for Clunkers harder than anyone.

They simply took the other part of the bailout. Fucking hypocrites.

[CC]

4. Without the bailouts for GM & Chrysler

Ford would of gone down too. There was a time some with in Ford admitted to that and was a reason their bigwigs were all for the bailouts.

[Wait Wut]

14. No doubt.

Industries cross corporate lines. If those sub-industries lose two of their largest customers, they can't survive. Ford wouldn't have been able to build their crappy cars. It would have impacted all auto manufacturers, including foreign cars.

My dad taught me some useful stuff when I wasn't paying attention.

[Old and In the Way]

24. I totally agree with you and CC

It might play well as an ad, but, for the reasons you cite, the entire auto industry benefited from the federal government's investment.

[Blue_Tires]

58. and that's the bottom line no one wants to admit

but I can't get too ticked over this commercial...You take your advertising advantages where you get them...

[OHdem10]

5. Will back fire, sound too political and too NEGATIVE to make

a sell except to some yahoo.

A Business trying to sell me something using Politics
is a turn off.

[Firebrand Gary]

78. I thought so too. The last thing people want to think of while driving is dysfunctional.

So why they brought politics into it I will never know.

[Billy Burnett]

6. Its an ad for a Model Tea.

:evilgrin:

[htuttle]

22. +1

[Wait Wut]

7. Fuck Ford.

With love,

A die-hard Chevy girl with a MOPAR fetish.

[jaxx]

8. Did this help Ford?

US to loan $5.9 bln to Ford, $1.6 bln to Nissan

(AFP) – Jun 23, 2009

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US government will loan 5.9 billion dollars to Ford Motor Co. and 1.6 billion dollars to Japanese automaker Nissan to invest in improving the fuel economy of their US-built vehicles, officials said Tuesday.

The loans are the first awarded out of a 25-billion-dollar program to help automakers meet upcoming fuel efficiency standards, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said at a press conference.

<..> Ford will use the 5.9 billion dollars retool plants in five states and boost the fuel efficiency of close to two million new vehicles annually.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jesx2f8Y8dKUCMIhgM_8K_XMLd6Q

It was a good plan from the Obama administration to help all the car co's get up to speed.

[Purveyor]

11. Thank you for posting this. eom

[Firebrand Gary]

79. Thanks for posting this as well.

[Ineeda]

9. Here's the youtube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_mwjaEI_hM&feature=play...

[Spider Jerusalem]

No bailout for Ford, just millions in grants for hybrid/electric technology development...

and oh yes, a nice fat Federal government fleet contract; they've gotten a total of over $100 million from the Federal government altogether in the Obama administration.

[frazzled]

17. Well, if it keeps people working and leads to hybrid/electric technology

I'm all for that kind of government spending.

[julian09]

25. If Govt is mandating change they should help with start up cost.

[former9thward]

18. They got the fleet contract because their cars are better.

There is no question their trucks are better.

[Kolesar]

29. My two Chevys were way better than that POS 2000 Windstar I bought

Transmission, intake plenum leaks, brakes failed twice. A spring broke--a POS coil spring broke! And I babied that minivan.

And look up their transmission troubles for the 1990s Taurus and Windstar. There were class action lawsuits about that transmission. I think it was the model 440-something.

[Brickbat]

10. I don't see this as a slam at all. I see it as a dig at the other car companies. Which is what

advertising is all about.

[FLAprogressive]

40. +1

[UpInArms]

12. wonder where "Chris" banks? BofA, Citi???

I call bullshit.

[NorthCarolina]

16. Doesn't sound like a slam to me at all. Kudos to Ford. nt

[Firebrand Gary]

19. So Republicans drive Fords and Democrats drive Chevrolets?

This is garbage.

Fuck Ford, I have never owned one and never will now.

[GoCubsGo]

63. This Democrat drives a Ford

And, when I can afford to replace it, I will buy another. All they're doing is jabbing Chrysler and GM. Big deal.

[no_hypocrisy]

20. Ford would've shoved GM out of the way for bailout money if the company

was facing bankruptcy.

[onehandle]

21. I am currently shopping for a GM car. 'Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge?'

No thanks.

[junior_9]

27. Sorry I bought a Ford

I don't mind competition among car companies, but Ford hit
below the belt with this ad. Ford should be glad they didn't
need the taxpayers to help them out instead of making GM and
our Government of the people, for the people and by the people
look bad. I knew something was awry when I enterend the Ford
dealership and all I heard was Fox news. This was my last Ford
and I've owned a bunch of them.

[Fumesucker]

34. Welcome to DU..

Nice first post, I hope you enjoy your stay.

:hi:

[Initech]

65. I'm in the process of buying a 2012 Focus. I'm not letting one ad affect my decision.

I chose the Focus because of the excellent MPG rating (27 - 37), its incredibly well designed, and it's union built. Sure the ad is ill informed but I'm not letting that affect my decision.

[Auggie]

28. That ad is a lemon.

I'm surprised by Ford.

[DRoseDARs]

31. Ford? Hi. Logic here. Let's walk and have a little chat, shall we?

The purpose of those bailouts was to ensure that two very large employers didn't go under, adding many MANY additional people to the ranks of the USAmerican unemployed. While you might be giddy at the thought of two competitors going up in smoke, consider for a moment what WOULD have happened had that happened. Neither you nor your competitors control 100% of your entire production chain. Your raw materials and even some parts come from third-party companies. Had Chrysler and/or GM gone under, those companies would have been without their major clients. They would have been forced to layoff workers themselves or perhaps even have gone under as well. An imploding US auto industry affects things beyond itself.

How many millions of people would have been unemployed overnight had Chrysler and GM gone under? And how many of them would be buying Fords? And how bad do you think the US economy would be right now? Do you honestly think many people would be buying ANY vehicles, let alone yours, in that climate compared to the one we have now thanks to the auto bailouts? They weren't perfect, and flew in the face of laisse faire/free market capitalism and your bottom line, but lets not pretend they didn't save your ass too, Ford.

[FarLeftFist]

32. Yeah, fuck those peoples jobs! We wanted MORE PROFITS ANYWAY!

[awoke_in_2003]

33. I don't like anything...

Chrysler or GM put out. My next vehicle will be another Ford (the idea of buying a new non-union built car rankles me). That being said, it wasn't a bailout- they were loans. Loans which Chrysler and GM will pay back. Just like Chrysler did in the 80's. People have learned not to say "Government Motors" around me.

[Brigid]

35. I thought GM and Chrysler had already paid back those loans.

Or were at least considerably ahead of schedule on it.

[awoke_in_2003]

36. Not really sure...

either way, if they aren't already paid, they will be.

[bluestate10]

66. GM has paid back i cash and stock. Chrysler did a stock plan to pay back theirs. nt

[awoke_in_2003]

70. thank you. nt

[BlueCheese]

37. I don't think it was meant that way.

They are taking pride that they didn't need a bailout, which is indeed something to be proud of. The commercial doesn't even mention GM and Chrysler by name. To take it as a criticism of Obama is stretching it.

[Dawson Leery]

38. Ford took a $5.9 billion dollar bailout.

Ford's executives asked that GM should receive a bailout because those at Ford believed that the entire industry would be hurt if GM was allowed to fail.

Hypocrites.

We had a 92' Ford Taurus(Mom's car). Horrible car all around. Fortunately we had an extended warranty. We more than got our money back on it.

[The Gunslinger]

39. I'll never buy a Ford again

[Zax2me]

48. I'll alert the media.

[The Gunslinger]

64. Please do.

[BOHICA12]

67. How many new Fords have you purchased in your lifetime ...

... so at least Ford can figure their loss of market share.

[bluestate10]

69. No Ford for me either. After stuff like this, I would not touch their products. nt

[RB TexLa]

41. So now DU is for corporate welfare? Ford shouldn't be proud of not taking corporate welfare?

[TwilightGardener]

56. I'm for corporate welfare if it keeps almost an entire American industry from going under, yeah.

That's jobs--desperately needed jobs.

[cherokeeprogressive]

43. I'm kind of surprised by how affected DU is by advertising.

I don't see the problem with the ad.

[SmileyRose]

44. Oh give me a break.

[Union Scribe]

47. I wonder how many of these outraged posters

are even driving American cars.

[Honeycombe8]

50. Not me. I looked at several Fords. They don't have what I was looking for.

I tried to buy American (again). But neither GM nor Ford had anything that fit my criteria. I looked at them, anyway.

Then again, I couldn't find a foreign (well, everything these days is part foreign, part domestic -EVEN FORD) that fit my criteria. And was in stock (the Tsunami had a bad effect this year). So I bought a small Honda Fit subcompact hatchback to drive for a couple of years while I wait for the auto industry to settle down.

I do feel kinda guilty. But I did do a lot of research & gave it a try.

What I'm looking for, for the long term (and believe it or not...neither Ford nor GM have anything that fits the bill):

Small suv or wagon (not a compact hatchback)(no longer than 180 inches long...I have a small garage & live in city. Will consider a bit longer, if it meets other criteria, & I like it)
Gas mileage of at least 24 mpg combined (will consider a bit less, if it meets all other criteria & I love it)
Color - white.
No leather seats
Premium fabric upholstery (or at least it doesn't look or feel stiff or cheap) (would consider fake leather, if good quality)
Premium audio
No sunroof or moonroof
It is recommended by Consumer Reports
Telescoping steering wheel (will consider w/o one, IF the wheel is long & fits a woman's shortish arm reach)
Good driving position; can go on road trips
Comfy for passenger in front.
Good reliability rating in Consumer Reports
Adjustable lumbar support
Nice interior

I know I can be picky. I keep cars a long time. But once again, I was unable to locate a GM or Ford vehicle with these things. The closest I found was the Chevy Equinox, but it's too long. It's about 185 inches long, & I think the mpg is a tad too low. Won't fit in my garage. Beautiful SUV, though. Ford Edge isn't recommended by Consumer Reports. Ford Escape - interior is kinda cheap looking & feeling, including upholstery; reliability isn't that great, as I recall.

The only things I really found that had these attributes were the Nissan Rogue, the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen diesel, and the Golf diesel that had almost all these attributes. Oh, and the Hyundai Elantra Touring. But the Hyundai and the two Volkswagens were sold out. I was waiting for the 2012 models on any of these to come out, but I had to buy a new car right away because old car broke, so I couldn't wait & had to buy a small car to use for a couple of years.

[BOHICA12]

68. Loved the Focus ... style & economy, BUT

my elbow didn't fit .... can't drive a car for 200K+ miles and have it not fit your elbow.

Subaru won.

[seabeyond]

49. i heard it as a slam against the companies that took it. not a slam on govt.... or obama. nt

[cherokeeprogressive]

51. I'm close to that but I didn't interpret it as a slam, I took it as a brag. n/t

[seabeyond]

55. you are right. good distinction. a brag. not even a slam. that is why i dont think

the intent is anti obama or govt. it was a boast.

[Honeycombe8]

52. Might be taken as the same thing. That F150 Ford truck....a big righwingnut truck.

It's the best selling truck in the country. My brother owns one. It's a beauty. But those trucks are big sellers to rightwingnuts, so they would probably take the ad as being against the Dems.

[seabeyond]

54. maybe so, but i dont think the intent was there on fords part. they had people

come in and speak what they liked. there is differing comercials with comments. this is something ford can use, because they get sales from the fact they did not take money. i dont see it as anything more than that. what people make of it is their own.

[FLAprogressive]

59. All trucks are big sellers to right-wing nuts....

[GoCubsGo]

62. The wingnuts like the big Chevys and Dodges, too.

I see lots of 'em in Toyota Tundras, as well. Big trucks are wingnut trucks, period.

[FLAprogressive]

74. +1

[lynne]

57. Kudo's to Ford and they've got a right to brag -

- I don't see this as a slam against the bailouts. I see this as them pointing out that they managed to get out of the mess by themselves without taxpayer help. They have a right to toot their own horn and congratulations to them!

[Firebrand Gary]

76. Let remember how they avoided tax payer help, by stealing ideas like the windshield wiper.

[Rex]

60. I don't blame Ford for cashing in on hypocrisy.

Ya ain't a real company unless you can stand on your own two feet...pull yourself up by the bootstraps etc. I certainly didn't agree with the GWB bailouts.

[JVS]

61. Fuck em all, I'm getting a Lada!

[and-justice-for-all]

71. They paid it back....

and GM still makes better autos than ford.

[LadyInAZ]

72. GM, FORD, CHRYSLER...

all american made cars... I'm a chrysler fan myself, reliable, luxury affordable, car... sometimes the government has to take an active role in helping our business competing in global market (or compete domestically against foreign type cars)... I'm not sure if either are sold overseas... but at least the government came up with a plan... I hope it works out. or many will lose more jobs... something we have seen thru out this financial crisis.

[BlueCheese]

73. I think the commercial is fine. I also support the auto bailout.

Of course a company is going to brag that it didn't have to take government money to survive. I'm glad they didn't have to, and don't mind them making that point.

I also support the bailouts of GM and Chrysler--that was way too big an industry, providing way too many jobs, to simply let go under. In fact, even though I've been greatly disappointed by the administration on many fronts, I think the bailout and subsequent recovery of the two companies is one of their biggest accomplishments. It took some courage and was something that maybe even some Democrats would not have done. I don't see these two points as contradictory.

A note as to whether GM and Chrysler have paid back their loans. As I understand it, the US government gave GM about $50 billion total. Part of this was a direct loan of $6.7 billion, with the rest being given in return for 61% of the company (which was an extremely generous price as you might expect in a bailout). GM has paid back the loan part of the money, and the government sold some of the holdings after GM IPOed. As of January 2011, the government would have needed GM stock to reach over $50 a share to break even. GM stock is currently at $22. Even in this situation, my opinion is that the bailout was worth it. It certainly seems like a lot less money for a lot more jobs than the hundreds of billions that was given to various banks.

Info here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704803604576078501503246420.html

[Firebrand Gary]

75. FORD's strategy is what plagues America. They should pipe down or we will talk about Robert Kearns.

That's right, Robert Kearns. You know the guy FORD stole the windshield wiper from.

Profit at all cost. Pun intended.

[Firebrand Gary]

80. FORD is opening a new plant in India, how nice of them.

Ford India opens manufacturing plant in Gujarat
India Infoline News Service / 10:43 , Sep 06, 2011
The new manufacturing facility will create 5,000 jobs, and will be able to initially produce 240,000 vehicles and 270,000 engines per year. The first vehicles and engines are scheduled to come off the line in 2014.

Ford India broke ground for its new, state-of-the-art integrated manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat. As part of its aggressive growth and expansion in Asia, Ford is investing approximately US$1bn to build new vehicle manufacturing and engine plants in Gujarat. The new manufacturing facility will create 5,000 jobs, and will be able to initially produce 240,000 vehicles and 270,000 engines per year. The first vehicles and engines are scheduled to come off the line in 2014.

“With this groundbreaking, Ford is planting the seeds for a prosperous future in Sanand for our future employees, suppliers, dealers and customers. As good corporate citizens we will be first-rate stewards of this land and active participants in this community,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India. “Today is another milestone and reinforces our commitment to aggressively grow the Ford brand in India and offer a full range of exciting, fuel-efficient vehicles to Indian customers.”