More from Jim Hudson, this year's chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association.

As a businessman, what keeps you up at night?

The economy as a whole. When you look at the cost of gasoline, when you look at the housing industry and the effect it could have on our financing of our automobiles, that worries me.

I think we're looking at a flat year in business. But interest-rate lowering, hopefully, will offset the loss in sales revenue by our floorplans being a lot less.

What else worries you?

Getting young people who want to dedicate themselves keeps me awake as much as that.

Hiring people in this business today is the hardest I've seen it in 35 years.

You and others in the industry say you support the new fuel economy standards. Weren't you bothered by the way lawmakers beat up on the industry during the debate?

Not really. I think it woke up a lot of manufacturers. A lot of the brands had to really get busy and make their plan to meet these standards.

I don't think you'll see any problem at all with the international brands, when you look at hybrids as an example.

But I'm a domestic car dealer as well. My biggest concern is with Suburbans and Yukons and these kinds of vehicles. But they're coming with hybrids for those vehicles, and their fuel efficiency has gone up tremendously.

So I think it was probably time, with the price of gasoline — and, looking ahead, I don't see how they could do anything differently. We've got to get those standards up. I think it's a good plan.

Do you believe the whole industry needs to get more political?

Absolutely.

Whom do you like for president?

I like John McCain. He's a great guy. He's got a lot of history behind him. He's got a lot of experience. But I'm not sure John can win.

Would you sell a Chinese brand?

Probably, yes — I'm a car dealer. But I'd be very careful. I want to wait and see the shakeout. Right now they don't have the quality to bring those cars here.