http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 08_pf.html
With the passion of a street preacher, [Chrysler's deputy chief executive, Jim] Press implored the dealers to order as many cars as possible to help the company as a deadline loomed to prove its viability to the U.S. government.
"You have two choices," Press told the group, according to reports. "You can either help us or burn us all down."
Many dealers would long remember the warning that followed to those who refused to order their whole allotment of cars: "If you decide not to do that, we've got a good memory."
"Our jaws dropped," said Alan Spitzer, who appeared before Congress on Friday and until last week owned eight Chrysler-brand franchises in Ohio. "It was clearly a threat. There was no other way to take it."
No doubt the Obama crew gave many Chrysler dealers the short end of the stick.More important, it highlights how the best-laid plans of government -- a quick, "surgical" bankruptcy of an American company -- can unfold slowly and messily on the ground.
