Obama to highlight auto rescue's widespread boost to Michigan economy

(White House) In the wake of a recent poll showing Mitt Romney leading Barack Obama in Michigan by one point, both campaigns are turning their attention to the state. President Obama's campaign will be emphasizing the ripple effect of the auto bailout, with economic benefits extending well beyond GM and Chrysler, while Mitt Romney has added a Michigan stop to his "Every Town Counts" bus tour.

The Detroit News reports that:

Instead of just focusing on the turnaround of General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, which rebounded since the $85 billion federal auto bailout, the Obama campaign intends to shine a weeklong spotlight on other manufacturers, restaurants, tourist spots and firms that benefitted from the auto recovery, according to campaign. [...]

"Michigan's economic recovery is not an accident, and it has been made possible in large part because of the resurgence of manufacturing and the American auto industry," said Matt McGrath, spokesman for Obama's campaign in Michigan.

"As those industries continue to rebound and put more Michiganders back to work, the economic benefits are being felt by middle class families all across the state, and in turn, other industries are coming back. None of this would be happening had we followed Mitt Romney's plan to 'Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.' "

The ripple effect not just in Michigan but in other auto-producing states like Ohio is broad: When auto workers get bonus checks, they have money to spend in their local economies. When an auto plant adds an extra shift, restaurants and other businesses in the immediate area get more business and add jobs. It's a really good move for the Obama campaign to highlight those effects. Meanwhile, Romney's bus tour will include New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Ohio and now Michigan'not that you'd expect him to be campaigning hard in states he's sure to lose, like his home state of Massachusetts, or states he's sure to win, but calling a blatantly swing state-oriented bus tour "Every Town Counts" kind of begs for mockery.

The renewed focus on Michigan will likely once again highlight the contrast between the candidates' economic messages: Barack Obama wants the economy to improve, and did improve it through his auto rescue, while Mitt Romney needs the economy to be bad because that's his only chance of becoming president.