by Paul A. Eisenstein

(2000-11-13)

I'd originally intended to use this letter to deal with the issues facing our next president, but as we approach a week after Election Day, with no clear winner to refer to, I find it a little more difficult than I expected to pen this note. So let us begin by referring to some clear winners-members of TheCarConnection.com team who dominated the Internet portion of the 2000 International Automotive Media Awards.

Our veteran columnist, Denise McCluggage, was honored with a lifetime achievement award. I can't think of anyone more deserving than Denise. Raised in Kansas at a time when women aspired to get married, rather than go racing, she has faced incredible obstacles over the years, most of them raised by men either too blind to see her talents-or simply frightened by them. Offered "rides" five times at LeMans, she was repeatedly blocked from participating, though on those circuits where she could compete, Denise repeatedly dominated.

Over the years, I have gotten to know Denise well and am always amazed at the tales she tells. She has been a balloonist, as well as a racer, a serious skier, and a close confidante to an eclectic set of celebrities ranging from Steve McQueen to Miles Davis. My jaw fell open when she told me, once, about living in the flat below a young Dave Brubeck when he was writing such groundbreaking jazz standards as "Take Five." I finally met him two years ago at a Detroit concert and wondering whether he'd corroborate the story, I mentioned her name. His eyes rolled back, as he began recalling wonderful memories from nearly 50 years before. I had to interrupt Brubeck's own flood of McCluggage stories to make way for other autograph hounds,

Over the years, Ms. McCluggage has proven her brilliance in a series of journalistic endeavors. She was a New York sportswriter in the 1950s and '60s, and served for decades as one of the most widely read automotive columnists in publications ranging from Auto Week to TheCarConnection.com. We're proud to have her on our team and we cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award.

TCC Executive Editor Marty Padgett pulled a silver medal for his news piece, "The Cult of Speed," while our stiff-lipped British correspondent, Ian Norris shared silver for his reflections on the North American International Auto Show, "A Detroit-Style Hangover." Columnist Lesley Hazleton completed our sweep of the category, claiming a bronze for her passionately argued "Three-Year Sea Change."

In the "Other" category, Marty took a bronze for his review of the 2001 Rolls-Royce Corniche. And though the story was not written for us, kudos go to our new motor sports contributor, Jason Sakurai, for staking a silver for his "Ford Explorer Sport Trac SUV." Another new member of the team, Marc K. Stengel, took a bronze for his road test report, "Itchin' for a Fight."

I will modestly lay claim to collecting two IAM awards for stories that have appeared on TCC, a gold metal for my news category piece, "Cruisin'," and a bronze for "SL-R You Ready," a collection of driving impressions in the Mercedes-Benz SL-R concept car.

Now that we've rewarded the winners, let's turn to what was going to be the original topic of this column, the presidential election. Politics aside, whoever ultimately takes office next January will be facing plenty of challenges having a direct impact on automakers-and auto buyers. The most immediate issue is the economy, of course. It's been running strong for eight years, and auto sales are now at record levels. But many experts are now predicting a downturn. Steering the country's economy will be a tough challenge.

There are other challenges ahead. A new report suggests global warming may be more serious than originally projected. Will the new president agree to steps that would reduce the production of greenhouse gases in a country that uses more natural resources than any other? Will the next president sign new safety legislation that could hold automotive executives criminally liable? And would he approve an increase in federal mileage standards? Even the issue of campaign reform will be felt here in Detroit. Will the president approve limits on using union dues to help favored candidates?

No wonder the auto industry has watched this election so closely. Hopefully, we'll know who really won before it's time to write the Publisher's Letter for December.

Yours truly,