Dec. 19, 2008 (AP): Gov. Ted Strickland tells Ohio media outlets that opponents of a bailout for U.S. automakers are ``playing with fire,'' putting U.S.-American manufacturing at risk.

In an interview with The Blade of Toledo, the Democrat says Republican U.S. senators who rejected the federal assistance are mostly looking to settle old scores. He told the newspaper on Thursday that the lawmakers are trying to make it ``an issue of union vs. nonunion, North vs. South.''

Strickland made similar comments to whiotv.com, the Web site of Dayton's WHIO-TV.

The governor says the nation can't give up on its auto industry, which he says remains very important to Ohio's economy.

The Bush administration on Friday announced $17.4 billion in short-term loans for Detroit's struggling car companies.