Granholm brings delegates to their feet cheering auto rescue

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In one of the most fiery speeches so far of the night, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm roused cheering delegates to their feet as she shouted out President Obama’s actions on behalf of the automotive industry, taking swipes at GOP challenger Mitt Romney along the way.

Granholm quipped that Romney loves cars so much “they have their own elevator.�

But she said when “the entire auto industry, and the lives of over 1 million hard-working Americans, teetered on the edge of collapse … almost nobody had the guts to help us – not the banks, not the private investors and not Bain Capital.�

“Then, in 2009, the cavalry arrived: our new president, Barack Obama!� Granholm said.

PHOTOS: Protests of the DNC

“When Mitt Romney said ‘Let Detroit go bankrupt,’ who took the wheel?� she called out.

“Barack Obama!� the crowd replied.

“When America was losing 750,000 jobs per month, who gave us a lift?�

“Barack Obama!�

At one point, the noise grew so deafening that Granholm’s words were inaudible, drowned out by chants of “U-S-A!�

“America, let’s rev our engines!� Granholm concluded. “In your car and on your ballot, the ‘D’ is for drive forward, and the ‘R’ is for reverse. And in this election, we’re driving forward, not back. Let’s reelect our great president, Barack Obama!�

Follow Politics Now on Twitter and Facebook

[email protected]
@mateagold