Adamantly opposed to saving GM and Chrysler, former Vice President Dick Cheney urged then-President George Bush not to provide bailout money to troubled OEMs. But Bush did approve $17.4 billion for GM and Chrysler rescues, as well as $7.5 billion for GMAC and Chrysler Financial. That amount carried the OEMs until early 2009, when newly-elected President Barack Obama approved billions more. While the former vice president didn’t think the auto rescue was valid, he favored saving the banks even though many observers felt they had precipitated the global economic meltdown.