Ford: We want to steer clear of aid

Ford Motor Co., which has been racing to restructure its business, is more determined than ever to weather the recession without federal loans, its top two leaders say.
Bill Ford Jr., the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford, and Alan Mulally, who joined Ford as president and chief executive officer in 2006, told the Free Press in an exclusive, side-by-side interview last week that the decision to forgo federal assistance gives the 106-year-old company freedom to control its future.
"Believe us when we say we have no plans to take government loans," Ford said. "We would just prefer to be masters of our own destiny."
In recent months, Ford and Mulally often have said how "Ford is different," an effort to contrast the company with GM and Chrysler, which have received $17.4 billion in federal loans and are seeking more.