Matt Helms

Detroit Free Press

Vice President Joe Biden called Detroit “the single shining example” of America’s economic resilience, citing the rebound of the Motor City and its signature industry during a visit today that included a stop by the North American International Auto Show.

“America owes you for helping get back our soul,” Biden said in remarks at an event to honor winners of grants through Motor City Match, a program that matches entrepreneurs with owners of vacant storefronts throughout the city in an effort to grow small businesses.

Biden praised immigrants for a history of fueling innovation in America and defended the Obama administration’s efforts to save the American auto industry amid historic bankruptcies in the national recession. He also said the Obama administration would never have abandoned Detroit, saying the White House sent a team of experts who worked “shoulder to shoulder” with city officials on a comeback.

He joked that President Barack Obama calls him “the Vice President of Detroit” for his concern for the city. Among other efforts, Biden helped Detroit land federal funding with which the Detroit Department of Transportation purchased 80 new buses to help improve bus service that had declined precipitously before the city’s Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing in 2013.

This afternoon, Biden made an unannounced visit to Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in downtown.

After a private lunch with Mayor Mike Duggan and other officials at the Manoogian Mansion, the city-owned mayoral residence, Biden toured the displays of Detroit’s major automakers, accompanied at times by Ford CEO Mark Fields and General Motors vice president Mark Reuss.

Biden checked out the Chrysler Pacifica and Chevrolet’s Bolt, which were named North American utility and car of the year, respectively, this week. But he seemed most interested — as the owner of a 1967 Chevy Corvette — in some of the speedier selections on display, including a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, a Corvette, Ford Mustang and a Chevy Camaro.

Asked what he thought of President-elect Donald Trump’s frequent targeting of the auto industry — Trump has been critical of auto makers plans to move production to Mexico and elsewhere and has threatened tariffs on imported vehicles — Biden took a wait-and-see approach.

“Let’s see what Mr. Trump does, not what he says,” Biden said.

Biden used today's visit to reiterate support for the government bailout of the auto industry.

“It’s alive. It was saved,” Biden said. “Without it, it would not have survived as it is today. It’s one of the proudest things I’ve been involved in.”

Biden’s motorcade later made a pit stop at the Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood, ordering a brownie and black coffee and talking to and hugging patrons who expressed support for the outgoing vice president.

Related:

On Trump’s election, a divided Michigan

Donald Trump's tweets shake auto industry

Biden was in town to help laud Motor City Match. Launched in 2015, Motor City Match provides quarterly awards totaling $600,000 for startup businesses and property owners aiming to repopulate key commercial corridors in the city, including the Avenue of Fashion on Livernois on Detroit's west side.

Motor City Match announced the latest round of winners today in its quarterly funding of small businesses in Detroit. Additional information is available at www.motorcitymatch.com.

The award ceremony honored 15 entrepreneurs who will share in $600,000 in funding. The program is a partnership between the city, the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with funding from a range of foundations and community development groups.

Biden praised Duggan and his administration’s work on Detroit’s recovery, which Biden said is exemplified by revamped streetlights, small business growth and demolition of 10,000-plus blighted homes.

Biden was to visit Chicago later today for President Obama’s farewell address after lunching with Duggan this afternoon.

Joe Biden for president?

Update: Gilbert teases big Detroit tenant, talks Trump

Contact Matt Helms: 313-222-1450 ormhelms@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @matthelms.