Granholm To Advise Obama On Economy

[TitsMcGee]

LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former U.S. Rep. David Bonior of Mount Clemens are among 17 people appointed to help advise President-elect Barack Obama on the economy during the months before he's sworn in.

Granholm and Bonior will meet with Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden Friday in Chicago, where the Transition Economic Advisory Board will weigh solutions for the ailing financial and automotive sectors and how best to stimulate the economy and implement the incoming administration's economic plan.

Although Michigan has led the nation in unemployment for nearly three years, largely because of the ailing auto industry, Granholm was tapped several times by the Obama campaign during the presidential election to speak about the need to create new alternative energy jobs. She has been mentioned as a possible energy secretary in an Obama administration.

Bonior, 63, represented parts of Macomb County and Michigan's Thumb in Congress for 26 years, until 2002, when he unsuccessfully ran for governor. In 2003, he founded American Rights at Work, a Washington-based workers' rights group that promotes measures making it easier for workers to form unions and collectively bargain.

Bonior also taught labor studies at Wayne State University until retiring this past spring and was campaign manager for Sen. John Edwards' presidential bid until Edwards dropped out in February. Bonior switched his allegiance to Obama in May and said he's looking forward to working with the president-elect's economic transition team.

"The issue that I'm worried about relates to working people and the auto industry," Bonior told The Associated Press when reached at his home Thursday evening. He promised to be an advocate for working people "who have seen their incomes stagnate and their jobs disappear."

Granholm also is worried about the domestic automakers, and is pushing Congress to provide more money to help them survive. On Thursday, auto and union leaders were on Capitol Hill to discuss billions of dollars more in financial help for Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, including aid for a possible GM-Chrysler merger.

"I believe that Congress understands the importance of saving this industry," Granholm told reporters Thursday. "Two-and-a-half million jobs could be affected in the next twelve months if we see a shrinkage of 50 percent in the auto industry. ... So they understand the urgency and they understand the need to free up the money."

Granholm, 49, was asked again Thursday whether she might leave her job if offered a cabinet position by the new president.

She repeated that she wants to work with Obama as governor until her term expires in 2010, but did not entirely rule out leaving for Washington.

Among other members of the transition economic advisory board are Warren Buffett and two former U.S. treasury secretaries under President Clinton -- Lawrence Summers and Robert Rubin. Granholm is the only governor on the panel.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

OMG.

[Azeuron]

looking at the situation michigan's economy is in how can granholm help obama in the slightest?

[TitsMcGee]

looking at the situation michigan's economy is in how can granholm help obama in the slightest?

First thing that came to my mind when I read this article was:

EPIC FAIL!

[Reaper]

We are doomed.

[SaGa]

"She repeated that she wants to work with Obama as governor until her term expires in 2010, but did not entirely rule out leaving for Washington."

"dont let the door hit your ass on the way out, we dont want assprints on our new door" - mom from futurama

heh heh heh *chuckles*

[Azeuron]

First thing that came to my mind when I read this article was:

EPIC FAIL!

Totally agree

[phee]

What's she going to advise him on, the best driving routes for his motorcade to avoid the poor people?

[TitsMcGee]

What's she going to advise him on, the best driving routes for his motorcade to avoid the poor people?

That basically means he needs to avoid the whole state..

[n0Mad]

First thing that came to my mind when I read this article was:

EPIC FAIL!

X10²³

Granholm: "President Obama, the best way to learn is by example. Here are all the ways I fucked up. Now ... DON'T DO IT! Thank you."

[Enishi]

I feel sick to my stomach now...

[Rev.Reverence]

That basically means he needs to avoid the whole state..

...NO...there's Birmingham...Grosse Point...Sterling Heights.....but to avoid ALL the poor areas...they'll need a helicopter....

[Nightgaunt]

The more I see who Obama's surrounding himself with, the more I despair...

[freydis]

*facepalm*

[Goth Brooks]

[TitsMcGee]

...NO...there's Birmingham...Grosse Point...Sterling Heights.....but to avoid ALL the poor areas...they'll need a helicopter....

Okay he needs to avoid the northern LP and the entire UP.

[Rev.Reverence]

Okay he needs to avoid the northern LP and the entire UP.

...oh yeah...& most every city I did not say...& I think you can also exclude Novi...& a town somewhere NEAR Lansing...but yeah...that's about it.

[Constantin]

yay more things for us people who did not vote obama to say i told you so.

[Rev.Reverence]

yay more things for us people who did not vote obama to say i told you so.

...aren't YOU just a lil' UNITER.....

[Constantin]

...aren't YOU just a lil' UNITER.....

hey you can join in to you did vote for nader right well thats not obama so come on say it you know you want to

[Rev.Reverence]

hey you can join in to you did vote for nader right well thats not obama so come on say it you know you want to

..I'll reserve the right to wait & SEE what they do...'cause I ain't startin' shit with me-ole'lady if I may be deemed wrong in the future...I like being right...

.......but on the 3rd...I did tell her, "If that obAma wins...& he(&HIS CRONIES) isn't any different than that McLame guy(& HIS CRONIES).....I SO GET TO 'TOLD YOU SO'...Just so you know..."

[Ebolamike]

Someone just needs to drop that b---- in the Detroit river she has messed up enough things as it is.

[creatureofthenyte]

I hope Obama has the sense to let every word she says, go in one ear and out the other.

[Oh_My_Goth]

Bunch a neigh sayers.....

Y'all need to chill out & see what happens.....

[Msterbeau]

I like how people here say the US economy is not Bush's fault in one breath and blame Granholm for all of Michgan's in the next. That's all I have to say about this.