Michigan’s Looking Good in the High-Speed Rail Chase

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jennifer_granholm.jpgMichigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) is a powerful advocate for high-speed rail funding. (Photo: Listings Foreclosures)
During an appearance in Michigan today to promote the Obama administration's economic recovery efforts, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made a potentially prescient prediction about the regions vying for federal help to build inter-city high-speed rail.

Per the Detroit News, LaHood said:

High-speed rail is coming to Michigan because of Gov. [Jennifer] Granholm. There's no doubt about it.

The alliance of midwestern states seeking a high-speed rail network -- for which Chicago would serve as the hub -- has long appeared to have a leg up in the planning and political jockeying necessary to win a share of the $8 billion that the administration is preparing to spend.

But LaHood's early praise for Granholm could also mean good things for the Democratic governor's recent proposal that her state's auto manufacturing infrastructure be retooled to produce high-speed rail cars.