Michigan Gov. Snyder defends auto bailouts, Romney opposition

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who endorsed Mitt Romney on Thursday, on Friday faced questions over their conflicting positions on the auto-industry bailout.

Romney has defended his opposition to the government bailout of Michigan-based companies Chrysler and General Motors, a position that could harm his chances to win the Feb. 28 primary in the state. 

Snyder on Friday sought to refocus on the results of the bailout and the need for more growth in Michigan. He maintained that, while the bailout did get the industry back on its feet, a variety of options other than the bailout might have worked, too.

"As a practical matter, there's a reasonable set of solutions that any one of them might have worked. The one that was used did work," Snyder said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." 

"The main thing is, it did get results," he said. He said the "normal process" of bankruptcy, which Romney  advocated, would have worked for just one company. "It was a unique situation. You're talking two major companies ... it was not just about these companies, it was about the entire supply chain."

Asked if he was happy, then, that President Obama sat in the Oval Office to ensure that loans were provided and the restructuring process ensured, Snyder sidestepped, saying: "I think the situation would have gotten resolved" regardless.

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