President-elect Barack Obama announced support Sunday for a short-term government bailout of the nation's carmakers that is tied to industry restructuring, and he accused auto executives of a persistent "head-in-the sand approach" to long-festering problems.

President-elect demands restructuring as key senator says GM's Wagoner should resign.

In an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" and later at a news conference, Obama at one point suggested some executives should lose their jobs.

A leading Congressional Democrat, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, was more blunt. Rick Wagoner, the chief executive of General Motors Corp., "has to move on," said Dodd on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Congressional Democrats and the Bush White House had reached an agreement in principle to provide stopgap support for the U.S. auto industry, congressional and industry sources said late Friday.

The deal would keep the most troubled companies out of bankruptcy court at least through the end of March. read more