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Commerce Secretary Bryson to speak at Detroit auto show
Commerce Secretary John Bryson, whose appointment was sharply criticized by Republicans because of the National Labor Relations Board's complaint against airplane manufacturer Boeing, will attend the North American Auto Show in Detroit, officials in his office said Monday.
Bryson was tapped by President Obama last year to replace outgoing Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, whom Obama nominated to be ambassador to China after Jon Huntsman resigned from the post to run for the GOP nomination for the presidency in 2012.
Republicans criticized Obama for appointing for Bryson, who was a member of the board of directors at Boeing, at the same time the NLRB was allegedly retaliating against strikes by unions in its home of Washington state by planning to open a plant in South Carolina.
The NLRB has since dropped the Boeing case, and Bryson's office said he will be at the North American Auto Show to talk about cars, not airplanes.
"Secretary Bryson will be meeting with leadership from the Big 3 automakers at the approximate times below to tour exhibits and see the latest products and technologies," the Commerce Department said in a statement announcing Bryson's trip to Detroit on Tuesday. "After each tour the secretary will be available for questions as time permits. "
Republicans have accused Obama of wanting to take over the auto industry, derisively referring to General Motors as "Government Motors," but Democrats have countered that Obama stood fast in the face of GOP criticism to save the city of Detroit, which relies heavily on the auto industry.
Earlier on Monday, another member of Obama's Cabinet, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, used his own appearance at the North American Auto Show to tout Obama's stance on the auto bailouts.
"Each of the Detroit automakers is yielding a profit for the first time since 2004," the Detroit Free-Press reported LaHood said. "Each gained market share last year for the first time since 1988."
