Auto Executives In Washington Seeking $25 Billion Bailout Money Came Aboard Corporate Jets

November 20, 2008 6:41 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Executives of the top three car manufacturing firms based in Detroit returned home Wednesday empty handed after two days of lobbying for a $25 billion bailout fund for the automaking industry.

Aside from the Republican objection to the proposal, there are observations the executives failed to elicit sympathy from legislators because of the lavish lifestyle they continue to indulge in while asking for federal assistance. Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank pointed out Richard Wagoner, Alan Mulally and Robert Nardelli arrived in Washington aboard corporate jets, not on regular commercial flights, highlighting the corporate excesses that many Americans believe contributed to the collapse of large companies.

The transport preference of the three executives did not escape the attention of the lawmakers. Rep. Gary Ackerman of New York told the trio, "There's a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington, D.C. and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hands."

Ackerman added, "It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high-hat and tuxedo... I mean, couldn't you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled or something to get here?"

The car executives did not reply to Ackerman's comments.

Wagoner, chief executive of General Motors, later shrugged off the comments on their transport mode and the apparent failure of their fund seeking mission. "This is all part of what we signed up for when we made this request... We knew we needed to testify and come down and tell our story and we know that Congress needs to decide if it's going to act and how it's going to act. We don't think realistically one should have expected an answer tonight, and I still remain hopeful," Wagoner told the New York Times.