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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RetiredNow who wrote (286365)	5/2/2006 11:49:06 AM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1587444

Ford is down on the news.......not because the news is bad but rather because it shows how far behind GM and Ford are to their Japanese counterparts. These are the same people who brought you Mr. Bush. Ford Touts Hybrid Sales By Nat Worden TheStreet.com Staff Reporter 5/2/2006 11:20 AM EDT Ford said Tuesday that sales of its hybrid cars have surged in recent months, signaling that consumers may be reacting to surging gas prices and deepening concerns about what President Bush recently called America's addiction to oil. Combined sales of the Ford Escape hybrid and Mercury Mariner hybrid more than doubled over March and rose 68% in April, the No. 2 U.S. automaker said. "There is a strong market for hybrids, provided they are attainable and affordable," Ford said in a statement. "More and more consumers want to improve their fuel economy, both to save money at the pump and to limit the social and environmental impacts of oil consumption. Offering up to an 80% increase in fuel economy, up to $5,925 in tax incentives, and an affordable purchase price makes the Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid very compelling for consumers." Ford and its larger U.S. rival, General Motors (GM:NYSE - news - research - Cramer's Take), have trailed Asian-based competitors like Toyota (TM:NYSE - news - research - Cramer's Take) in fuel efficiency in their product lines. Analysts say that both companies have been hurt in recent years by their concentration on gas-guzzling trucks and sport-utility vehicles, accounting for some of their continued market share declines in the all-important North America market. For its part, Ford has held up fuel efficiency and alternatives as a major factor in its "Way Forward" plan to turn around its business on the sales side. On the cost side, both Ford and GM have slashed jobs and production in an effort to shrink to a size more appropriate to their recent market-share levels. They've also moved to alter their labor contracts with the United Auto Workers in order to reduce health care and legacy commitments. Negotiations are ongoing. Both companies, along with DaimlerChrysler (DCX:NYSE - news - research - Cramer's Take)and other major automakers, are expected to report their total April sales later on Tuesday. Shares of Ford were recently up 3 cents, or 0.4%, to $6.94; shares of GM were down 30 cents, or 1.3%, to $22.34. thestreet.com

To: RetiredNow who wrote (286365)	5/2/2006 9:41:22 PM
From: SilentZ	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1587444

>Never heard of him. Actually, I agree with LNS that he'll be the GOP nominee. Good looking Senator from VA who is charismatic in the same way Bush is, stupid in the same way Bush is, but even more appealing to the Southern crowd because of his not-so-thinly veiled racism (keeps a noose on his desk and is an ardent admirer of the Confederate flag). You've implied a couple of times that Giuliani will be the Republican nominee in '08, but I can't see a way that someone who is pro-choice on abortion could get that nomination (even if John Wells and the other writers on the West Wing assert that). -Z