Lopez: Politicians' auto show fly-in adds insult to injury

Detroit's automakers should not be honored that key members of Congress and the Obama administration are coming to the auto show Monday.

They should be insulted.

Insulted because when it mattered -- at last year's auto show despite insisting that further overly restrictive regulations be put on the automakers -- these people were invisible and in fact, turned their backs on Detroit, refusing to see firsthand what kinds of technologies had been created to help save fuel and lead the nation into the next, greener decade.

That House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and others will descend upon Detroit on Monday isn't good news.

It smacks of the arrogance that is Congress. Now that the U.S. government owns a majority stake in General Motors Co. and more than 9 percent of Chrysler Group LLC, the saviors are coming to town. Thanks, but no thanks.

Circus of politicians

Detroit's automakers and all the others that have major press conferences Monday for the international press ought to be insulted because the circus that surrounds these people will divert attention from the cars and the news almost every major automaker on the planet is announcing.

The politicians who are coming won't answer any tough questions. They are expected, however, to fly commercial for a change to avoid being exposed as hypocrites for flying private after having bashed Detroit's CEOs for doing that when they asked Congress for aid.

Frankly, the top executives at GM, Chrysler and Ford Motor Co. should forgo the bureaucratic meet-and-greets where they'll simply shake hands, mug for the cameras and shallowly talk about their partnership and dedication to saving the Earth.

Dedication up for debate

If the politicians were really serious about "global warming," they'd stick around an extra day and participate on a Tuesday panel sponsored by The Detroit News and WJR-Radio. The event is titled "Climategate: Are green auto regulations based on faulty science?"

The panel includes Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph; climatologists Pat Michaels and Henry Pollack; Kathryn Clay, director of research for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; Myron Ebell policy analyst at the Competitive Enterprise Institute; and Detroit's own Frank Beckmann, who will be moderator.

Pelosi and friends declined to participate. No surprise there, really.

The event organizers still have calls out to Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and a host of other Dems, hoping to get someone to participate.

Let's hope they do, because if they defend their point of view, the congressional parade through the auto show would be substantive. Otherwise, it's just another sideshow.

mlopez@detnews.com">mlopez@detnews.com (313) 222-2536 Auto Editor Manny Lopez's column runs Thursday.