Bush hints at speedy decision

President George W. Bush said deliberations by his administration on whether to tap a bank bailout fund to keep General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC out of bankruptcy "won't be a long process" because of the "fragility" of the US automakers.

The president, traveling on Air Force One from Iraq to Afghanistan on Sunday night, said he "signaled" his administration is considering using money from the $700 billion fund. Bush said he's "not quite ready" to announce any rescue plan.

GM Chief Financial Officer Ray Young met on Sunday with administration staff seeking agreement on the size of the short-term loans, a person familiar with the talks said. A decision may not be made today, the person said.