There's one silver lining in the auto industry meltdown saga:  Jennifer Granholm is soaking up a ton of face time in the national media.

      Last Friday she was on Larry King, MSNBC, CNBC, Bloomberg Live, Rachel Maddow, and yet another appearance on CNN.

      Monday morning began with a slot on the NBC Today Show, followed by comments on CNBC and then the Diane Rehm broadcast on public radio.

      During her five minutes with Matt Lauer, Granholm pleaded the case for a bridge loan for the battered domestic auto industry. "If the autos fail, 3-5 million jobs will be lost," she told the nationwide audience after Lauer asked her why the rest of the nation should care if the industry went under.

      Next he wondered why the Big Three had not kept pace with foreign competition, but, as she is want to do somethings, she ignored the thrust of the question and segued into the fact that folks aren't buying cars. 

      Lauer did not do a follow up but next hit her with the "excessive union contracts" recently adopted by the United Auto Workers and GM, Ford, and Chrysler.

      Ah, earth to Matt.  Hey Mr. Anchorman, it was in all the papers that the union sold its soul to keep the industry afloat.

      The governor hit it out of the park reminding him that an "unprecedented contract" was just approved including "off-loaded health care costs" and other major concessions from the union.

     And what interview with Jennifer Granholm would be complete without "The" question so Lauer joined a long line of journalists who tried but drilled a dry hole.

     "Your name has been mentioned for a cabinet post, are your interested?"

      She noted that she could be a "tremendous partner" to the new president on the ground as governor and she concluded, I'd be honored to be a partner."

     "I think that's an answer," Lauer reflected while the governor flashed her patented smile and said nothing more.

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