DETROIT  Opponents of a Congressional bailout for Detroit auto companies and the United Automobile Workers union traded charges Friday over who was responsible for the defeat of legislation that would have provided temporary financing until the automakers restructured.

Senator Bob Corker, a Republican of Tennessee, suggested the fault lay with the U.A.W.’s president, Ron Gettelfinger, whose union declined to agree to allow wage concessions in 2009 as part of a deal.

But at a news conference Friday morning, Mr. Gettelfinger said the union feared that it was “being set up” by Mr. Corker, who he said was asking the union for concessions that were not sought from other participants in the talks.

Mr. Gettelfinger called on the Treasury and the White House to release financing and “prevent the imminent collapse of the automakers and the devastating consequences that would follow.” Until now, the White House had resisted such a move, but said Friday morning that it would consider using money from the $700 billion financial bailout to help the automakers.