Ford apologizes after joke on Bush blows up

Reuters ^ | 04/11/2007 | Poornima Gupta

[Responsibility2nd]

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Alan Mulally is no longer laughing about his suggestion that he saved President Bush's life during a recent White House visit.

The No. 2 U.S. automaker has apologized after Mulally said his claim that he had intervened to prevent U.S. President George W. Bush from plugging an electrical cord into the hydrogen tank of an experimental Ford vehicle had been meant as a joke.

On Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "The story wasn't accurate, and I'll just decline to comment further."

Ford said Mulally never expected the story he told journalists in New York last week would be taken seriously.

The CEO found himself in an embarrassing situation when the story was featured on blogs and even in mainstream media such as the Financial Times, which said, "he may have saved the incumbent of the Oval Office from blowing himself up."

Mulally said last Wednesday, recounting a meeting at the White House on March 28, that he had noticed the president appeared to be ready to plug a power cord into the wrong outlet of a rechargeable vehicle that also runs on hydrogen.

"I violated all protocols. I grabbed his arm and I moved him up to the front," Mulally told reporters at the New York auto show.

"I wanted to make sure he plugged into the electricity, not into the hydrogen," he said to roars of laughter from the media, before adding: "This is all off the record, right?"

Ford said Mulally's anecdote had been inspired by a video spoof featured on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" talk show that suggested Bush blew himself up by plugging the cord in the wrong outlet.

"I tried to tell a joke about it and proved I am no Jimmy Kimmel," Mulally said in a statement that was released to Reuters on Wednesday. "It never occurred to me that it would get such wide play or be taken seriously."

Ford spokesman Tom Hoyt said Mulally thought Kimmel's joke was funny and showed it to several Ford officials before his remarks to reporters.

"He just meant it as a joke. He kind of embellished the whole thing," Hoyt said. "There was no danger whatsoever."

Bush irritated U.S. automakers and allies last year when he said they should build more relevant products. He has been reaching out to them this year and promoting alternative fuel technologies as part of a plan to reduce gasoline consumption by 20 percent.

[P-40]

Bush irritated U.S. automakers and allies last year when he said they should build more relevant products.

That is pretty good advice. :)

[Ukiapah Heep]

Looks like Mullaly is doing a good job of self-destruction on his own.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

Hey Mulally!

Wanna see something REALLY funny? Look at your last 10K.

[Shelayne]

Is this another “botched joke”?

Hardy har har.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Ford has to know that there is little humor left in the USA. Everything that you say is taken as symbolic of something else, and is repeated and examined ad nauseam.

[Mr. Lucky]

We've owned american and we've owned japanese, now we have 3 toyotas in our garage.

So, you decided to stick with the American built vehicles.

[JamesP81]

We’ve owned american and we’ve owned japanese, we now have 3 toyotas in our garage.

The only problem I have with imports as that none of them, except Nissan, make a real sports car anymore (well, Acura has the NSX, but you can get a Lamborghini or Porsche for that kind of money).

[JamesP81]

But with that said, I drive a ten year old Nissan as my commuter car with over 150k on it. Starts the first time, every time, without fail.

[vox humana]

Ford has to know that there is little humor left in the USA.

Imus found that out the hard way. It won't be long before the thought police take over of every aspect of your life, and you will not be allowed to say anything that hasn't been approved by governmnet censors.

[justshutupandtakeit]

The famous Pinto trial case was over a car which had the GAS CAP left off before being hit.

[Stultis]

The joke may not have been so funny, but the fact that pressitutes and lefty bloggers tired to show that Bush is dumb, and only proved their own stupidity, is a riot.

[Chode]

the FPOS is dumber than he thinks W is...!!!

[Doctor Raoul]

That’s exactly the thought I had when I heard about this “story”. I said to myself if it’s that easy to kill yourself with one of these Fords then I certainly don’t want one.

[Doctor Raoul]

NEWSFLASH: Bush just held a press conference to tell a secret the CEO of Ford told him. Ford is going to name the hydrogen fueled vehicle the "Pinto".

If it were a pickup that explodes, NBC Dateline would buy them.

[Who is John Galt?]

What a dumb @ss (and I’m not referring to the President)...

[Cobra64]

Ford Faggot corporation strikes again.

[ilovew]

Um...whatever.

[hometoroost]

Ford’s new slogan - “Our vehicles are still our biggest joke.”

[MeanWestTexan]

The attitude of this loser confirmed I made the correct decsion when I bought 150 Nissan Titans for our light duty trucks this year, instead of the usual chevy/ford mix.

[BfloGuy]

I’ll always associate Alan Mullaly with the hugely successful Boeing 777.

Ah, I'd forgotten that. He's a Seattleite, it all comes clear now. Nonetheless, I've already sent my email to Ford (for what it's worth) explaining that I won't consider buying another one if the CEO doesn't stop making jokes about the President I voted for.

I know, I know -- but I did feel better. And given that my '96 F-150 is approaching 190,000 miles, Ford would normally be my first choice.