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Obama's auto faux pas leads to history lesson

President Obama, who will decide the fate of struggling Detroit automakers, may need to brush up on his industry history.

In promising support in his speech to Congress Tuesday, he said, "I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it."

Actually, history — and the U.S. Library of Congress — credits Germany.

"It's a fact that Daimler invented the car," says Han Tjan, U.S. spokesman for the German automaker. "If someone says the U.S. invented the car, either it's an incomplete statement or sloppy research."

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  • Read entire article at USA Today