-- note from Joe -- accidentally posted this in the wrong blog category earlier ---

In comments to reporters Tuesday, KY's Mitch McConnell says he supports automakers being able to tap into the $25 Billion already allocated for fuel-efficient retooling for other purposes. Dems wanted $50 billion total: $25 billion out of the $700 billion Wall Street rescue package and the $25 billion loan package to retool plants for fuel-efficient cars.

Here's the transcript:

McCONNELL: "A number of our members, which includes myself, think the proposal that the administration has made to provide -- to basically change the qualifications of the money that we have already appropriated is a sound way to go forward. I was told earlier today that there is some Democratic support for that as well. So we'll be discussing with Senator Reid the best way to go forward.

"Let me -- let me just add, I think the -- the rescue package that we passed a little over a month ago was designed to get the credit system in this country flowing again. And many of us supported that, not believing that that would be a precedent for industry-by-industry relief, that it was essential to the entire economy that we get the credit system functioning again.

"Now, it's not unexpected nor surprising that various industries want to come forward. The automobile industry obviously is very important -- very important to my state. But there is a way to do this, and I think the administration has laid out a good way to do it and hopefully Senator Reid and I can discover a way forward that would give the Senate a chance to vote on that proposal."

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