Posted on 04/11/2007 2:03:24 PM PDT by 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.
Seriesly NOT LMAO
1 of those rare occasions when a hi profile honcho manages 2 piss off both the right (for lying) and the left (for not killing Dubya).
ROFL
I won’t hold my breath for the apologies from everyone who took it seriously.
They wanted it to be true because the story reinforced their meme that “Bush is dumb,” so they ran with it.
— 1 of those rare occasions when a hi profile honcho manages 2 piss off both the right (for lying) and the left (for not killing Dubya).
And his own company for suggesting such an explosion is possible with their product.
Wait! Won’t this be something that scars our President for life - I think Ford’s President needs to step down as a result of his insensitive actions...
Now that is funny! Good on GWB for telling them that they make junk!
I think this Mullaly guy is off his rocker! Was seriously thinking of buying a Ford but will now buy something else, probably a Toyota or Acura, or whatever Nihondo is available.... No wonder Ford is losing money everywhere!
I had doubts about this over the reference to plugging into the hydrogen. That made no sense, and no way would a manufacturer produce a product where such a potentially explosive mistake on the part of the user was even possible. At least, I would hope that’s that case; I don’t want the dork next door blowing out my windows because he comes home drunk and connects his car incorrectly.
I’ll always associate Alan Mullaly with the hugely successful Boeing 777.
As for his stint at Ford, ... time will tell.
He thinks he’s Megan Mullally.
yes, I agree with the president as well, good for him for telling the truth about u.s automakers.
We’ve owned american and we’ve owned japanese, we now have 3 toyotas in our garage.
Wait. Am I getting my news stories mixed up again?
Unlike the exploding Pintos that FORD sold, knowing full well that they were going to have law suits for the poor souls who died in them. (Cheaper then redesigning the car!)
As a FoMoCo A/Z plan buyer, I will NEVER own another one!
LVD
you could not give me a Ford.BTW Dubya drives an F250
crew cab pickemup
2007 Camry LE’s are being advertised in the Cleveland newspapers for $200/$300 over invoice, cheaper than I can buy a Fusion/Milan similarly equipped, even with the Ford employee pricing.
Huh? I don't even get it. How would "plug into" the hydrogen make sense? Not much of a joke, I guess.
Yo dude - you threw bloody red meat to a pack of wolves. What the hell did you expect?!
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