Obama names manufacturing adviser at picnic

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Monday named Ron Bloom, former special assistant to the president of the United Steelworkers union as his senior manufacturing advisor at a union picnic in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"As my point person on manufacturing, he's going to help us craft the policies that will create the next generation of manufacturing jobs and ensure American competitiveness in the 21stcentury," Obama said after the nomination.

Bloom, senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, has been the leader of the president's auto industry task force since February.

He will work with the National Economic Council to lead policy development and planning for Obama's work to revitalize U.S. manufacturing, according the White House.