WASHINGTON - President Obama and Vice President Biden returned to the Rust Belt on Tuesday to crow over the government's job-saving rescue of the auto industry.
"There were those who were prepared to give up on Kokomo and our auto industry. There were those who said it was going to be too difficult, or that it was bad politics, or it was throwing good money after bad," Obama told Chrysler workers in hard-hit Kokomo, Ind.
"We made the decision to stand with you ... and today we know that was the right decision."
The visit coincided with Chrysler's not-so-coincidental announcement to pump $843 million more to build front-wheel-drive transmissions in three Kokomo plants.
Kokomo's unemployment surged to 20% before dropping to a still-brutal 12%, and Obama's visit was aimed at trying to convince Americans his policies have saved jobs.
A White House source acknowledged the days of the soft sell are over - Obama won't take for granted anymore that Americans get the message his policies will save jobs "in the long term."
"I'm not saying we would have reversed the tide, but think about how the election might have gone if we were making these announcements on Oct. 23 instead of Nov. 23," the source said.
To drive home the point, Obama and Biden took a side trip to a firehouse and met three firefighters who were laid off, then rehired with federal grants.
kbazinet@nydailynews.com
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