President Obama visited a UAW-GM Center for Human Resources in Detroit this afternoon, praising the auto industry for their remarkable comeback after the government bailed them out.
Obama pointed out that he would no longer be president a year from now, and would have to say goodbye to the presidential limousine known as “The Beast.”
He joked that he was “browsing” for a new car at the Detroit Auto show that he visited earlier today.
As audience members began shouting suggestions for his new car, Obama recalled his first car that he bought “brand new” at the age of 32.
“My first brand new car with brand new car smell was a Jeep Cherokee and I thought I was a bad man once I was in that car,” he said. “I was all up high looking at the road… Man.”
Obama’s vehicle was a 2000 Grand Cherokee that was last sold at an auction in 2010 for $26,437.50.
Prior to that, Obama said he mostly drove a “beat up hooptie.”
During his speech, Obama praised the strength of the auto industry in Detroit, and the quality of the vehicles.
“If you’re looking for the world’s best cars and the workers who make those cars, you need to be in Detroit, Michigan,” he said.