The Romney campaign is continuing to attack President Obama's effort to rescue the auto industry, arguing in a new radio commercial that the federal government's $80 billion assistance plan actually helped China more than it did the United States.
The commercial, which is running in Ohio, asserts that the bailout allowed General Motors and Chrysler to boost their production in China, where both companies plan to build more vehicles.
“Barack Obama says he saved the auto industry. But for who? Ohio or China?†the commercial asks. “What happened to the promises made to auto workers in Toledo and throughout Ohio?  The same hard-working men and women who were told that Obama's auto bailout would help them?â€
What the ad leaves unsaid is that the auto industry bailout has also enabled General Motors and Chrysler to add thousands of new jobs in the United States, including in Ohio.
Chrysler hit back on Tuesday against the suggestion by the Romney c ampaign that it was adding jobs in China at the expense of American workers. A television ad running in Ohio implied that Chrysler was doing just that, drawing a response from Sergio Marchionne, the company's chief executive, that those claims were inaccurate.
“I feel obliged to unambiguously restate our position: Jeep production will not be moved from the United States to China,†Mr. Marchionne wrote in an e-mail to employees.
