'And Tell Me, Mr. CEO, Did You Buckle Your Seat Belt?'

By Dana Milbank
WashPost
Friday, December 5, 2008

The Big Three were looking awfully small as they rolled into the Senate yesterday for their second attempt to beg money from the federal government.

Since their debacle last month -- when they flew to town on their corporate jets and arrogantly demanded a bailout -- they had all agreed to work for a dollar a year. And they had abandoned their air fleets to make the 520-mile trip to Washington by car -- a display of contrition that could not have been more obvious if the executives showed up in sackcloth and ashes.

Yet even that was not enough.

"Did you drive, or did you have a driver?" demanded Richard Shelby (Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate banking committee, which questioned the lowly threesome. "Did you drive a little and ride a little? And secondly, I guess, are you going to drive back? And, if so, if some of us wanted a ride to Detroit, could we ride with you?"

The chairman, Chris Dodd (Conn.), tried to ease the tension with some levity. "Where'd you stay?" he asked. "What did you eat?"

(More here.)