Just flew back from New York (and boy, are my arms tired. Boom, boom). It was an eye-opener just how much time is being devoted on the news to the debate on Capitol Hill about the bailout of Detroit.

Particularly interesting was the passion and the range of views. On the one hand, there's the "If we can bail out the banks, we can bail out the car manufacturers" brigade. Then there's the league who say, "If we give you this money now how do we know you won't go bust anyway?" -- which seems a perfectly sensible question.

The car bosses certainly didn't do themselves any favours rolling up in stretch limos having driven all the way from the airport where their executive jets were parked.

Some in America are demanding various reforms and restructurings as part of the deal -- demands that are met with the riposte, "When you're putting out fires you don't discuss architecture." "Dinosaurs!" cry the troop who don't want to finance a dying industry. "This isn't the same car industry your dad worked for in the 1950s and 60s," say those who claim that Detroit is now a modern, high-tech industry -- but still one in need of Federal support.

In Obama's America, though, don't be in any doubt that a deal will be done. Then place your bets as to who demands money next. Based on my experience this past weekend, it won't be Macy's department store.

* It was good fun skating on the rink in Bryant Park, facing the New York Public Library and overlooked by the glorious Empire State Building. The skating was free, courtesy of Citibank. Ironic, given that the bank itself is on such thin ice.