Eric Lach June 3, 2011, 6:14 PM

CNN Money brought up Mitt Romney’s 2008 New York Times op-ed arguing against bailouts for auto companies during an interview Friday with Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.

When asked whether his company “could have stood on its own two feet and come back without this government money?” Marchionne responded:

Whoever tells you that is smoking illegal material. That market had become absolutely dysfunctional in 2008 and 2009. There were attempts made by a variety of people to find strategic alliances with other car makers on a global scale. Chrysler shopped a variety of other sources before it came to this conclusion. And the government stepped in as the actor of last resort. It had to do it because the consequences would have been just too large to deal with.

Watch:

(h/t Boston Globe)

Top Stories From TPM

Oklahoma GOP Sen. Tom Coburn Will Seek To Offset Tornado Aid

GOP Nominee In Virginia Praised Three-Fifths Clause As An ‘Anti-Slavery Amendment’

Federal Judge Smacks Arpaio In Racial Profiling Case

The NRA Thinks These Are The ‘Coolest Gun Movies’ Ever

Submerged Structure Beneath Sea of Galilee Stumps Archaeologists

Jan Brewer To GOP: Expand Medicaid Or I'll Veto All Bills