Not Green -- GM Car Shipped to Washington for PR Stunt
First, the CEOs of the fledgling Big Three U.S. automakers made fools of themselves by arriving in
First, the CEOs of the fledgling Big Three U.S. automakers made fools of themselves by arriving in
General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner showed up to ask Congress for a taxpayer-funded bailout in a prototype of the 2010 Chevrolet Volt, a much-ballyhooed automobile that operates chiefly on electricity with a gasoline-powered backup.
But while the Volt is being credited as a potential savior for GM, Wagoner didn’t actually drive it from
And, as U.S. News & World Report pointed out – the Chevrolet Volt prototype Wagoner arrived in with Sen. Carl Levin and Rep. Sander Levin, both Michigan Democrats, was apparently shipped from
However, shipping a car from
According to estimates from several car transportation companies, the charges vary between $575 and $660. And cars are transported by a diesel-powered rig towing a car carrier – some open, some closed – hardly a “green” method. GM hasn’t responded to to questions from the Business & Media Institute about the mode of transit.
However, all three network newscasts didn’t mention it in their reports on Dec. 5. They showed Wagoner arriving at the Capitol in his Volt prototype.
“Talk about a high-powered carpool,” CBS correspondent Sharyl Attkisson said. “The head of General Motors drove himself to Capitol Hill with Michigan Sen. Carl Levin riding next to him in front, and his brother, Congressman Sander Levin, in the back. All three auto executives came for their second-chance tour in fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. Gone were the fancy corporate jets that angered Congress two weeks ago.”
The other two network shows – “NBC Nightly News” and ABC’s “World News with Charles Gibson” also gave mention of the CEOs’ endeavors.
“Lester, tonight the head of the Senate Banking Committee believes that
“No corporate jets this time,” ABC correspondent Jonathan Karl said. “The CEOs arrived on Capitol Hill in American made cars – electric and hybrid of course. This time they also came with specific plans and a big dose of humility.”
None of the reports mentioned why Wagoner only drove the Volt a few miles to the hearing: its low range. Reports suggest the car’s battery provides a range of only 40 miles on a charge; that wouldn’t get it from
The stunt prompted a response from the ranking Republican on Senate Banking Committee, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. he asked the executives how they got to
“Did you drive or did you have a driver?”
