Romney now taking credit for auto bailout?

Yesterday I wrote about how the DNC released an ad attacking former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's past condemnation of taxpayer-funded bailouts of America's auto industry. In 2008, Romney made headlines by declaring the federal government should "let Detroit go bankrupt" -- a position which scored points for Romney on the right. But today, the Romney camp seems to be trying to recast the former governor's position, claiming the idea to bailout the industry was originally Romney's.

The New York Times reports:

In 2009, Mr. Romney said Mr. Obama's plans for rescuing the automobile industry were "tragic" and "a very sad circumstance for this country."

A Romney spokesman said on Tuesday that the president's plan was modeled after one Mr. Romney advocated in 2008."Mitt Romney had the idea first," said Eric Fehrnstrom, a Romney spokesman, citing the Times opinion article.  "You have to acknowledge that. He was advocating for a course of action that eventually the Obama administration adopted."

At the time of the bailout, Romney encouraged the federal government to turn down automakers' requests for bailout and insisted that going the route of a structured bankruptcy deal would be best.  At no time did Romney's position ever seem to suggest taxpayers should foot the bill for billions of dollars in bailouts.  If that was indeed his position, I for one am glad he's making it clear heading into the 2012 primaries.