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Home Front: Politix
Pelosi points finger at McCain on Boeing tanker deal
2008-03-07
You knew this was coming.
The controversy over the Pentagon decision to award a $35bn refuelling tanker contract to EADS spilled into the presidential race yesterday, when a senior Democrat suggested that John McCain, the Republican nominee, was responsible for the deal being "outsourced" to a European company.

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House speaker, said Boeing had been on course to supply the US Air Force with tankers until Mr McCain "intervened". "My understanding is that it was on course for Boeing before. I mean, the thought was that it would be a domestic supplier for it," Ms Pelosi told reporters. "Senator McCain intervened, and now we have a situation where the contract may be - this work may be outsourced."

The air force originally chose Boeing to supply it with 100 tankers. But Congress cancelled the deal after it emerged that Darleen Druyun, a former top air force acquisitions official, had held illegal job discussions with Boeing while still negotiating the deal. Ms Druyun admitted boosting the value of the deal to help Boeing.

Mr McCain has pointed to his aggressive investigation into the Boeing deal as evidence that he is willing to stand up to powerful corporate interests.

The tanker scandal claimed the career of former Boeing chief executive Phil Condit. Ms Druyun and Mike Sears, Boeing's former chief financial officer, were sent to jail.
So Speaker Pelosi is suggesting that Boeing should be rewarded for their illegal, criminal behavior. Why does that not surprise me?
The suggestion by Ms Pelosi came as Boeing supporters on Capitol Hill opened a new line of attack against the deal, which ultimately could be worth more than $100bn as the air force replaces its entire fleet of about 600 in-flight refuelling tankers.

Pat Roberts, a Republican senator from Kansas, where Boeing has a strong presence, claimed the decision to award the deal to EADS and Northrop Grumman, its US partner, ran counter to US trade policy. Mr Roberts said the decision "defies common sense" because the US was pursuing a subsidies case against Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, at the World Trade Organisation. "This is an outrage. It truly makes me question our trade agenda," the Kansas senator told the Senate finance committee.
That might make sense in the arcane world of trade rules, but it sure sounds like sour grapes ...
Mr Roberts' attack follows a spate of criticism in Congress. The decision stunned most analysts, who expected Boeing, which has supplied the US military with in-flight refuelling tankers for five decades, to win.

Boeing will have 10 days to lodge a protest with the Government Accountability Office, the oversight arm of Congress, after it receives an air force briefing.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  I dont get with these Liberals: either your a big eveil corporation or your some charity case.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2008-03-07 21:24  

#7  Oh yeah, wait until her constituants find out she has a position about long distance flying planes of gas other that they should be banned or named Al Gore.

"My understanding is that it was on course for Boeing before. I mean, the thought was that it would be a domestic supplier for it," Ms Pelosi told reporters.
How is it the 'Speaker of the House' speaks in 'I means' s and pronouns? You know, its like, totally, not, umm, antiappropriate manners, know what I'm sayin?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2008-03-07 18:10  

#6  Where is the McCain rapid response team, or the RNC's for that matter? Of all the attack angles to take on this deal, trust Speaker Pelosi to pick the most idiotic one.

At least Sen. Roberts chose one which applies beyond any particular selection - questioning trade policy in general.

The McCain campaign needs a surrogate on tonight's news asking questions of why the Speaker is siding with the convicted, and for that matter, opposing a decision which shifts jobs from France to Alabama (IIRC, the consortium committed production to Alabama which arguably could have remained in Europe - a slight hooray for the weak dollar).

This is a fat, juicy, softball.
Posted by: Halliburton - Idiot Suppression Division   2008-03-07 13:39  

#5  Why should Pelosi even care - with Dems in power there won't be any wars or fighting or stuff, so there won't be any need to refuel warplanes in flight. Spend the money on the poor illegal immigrant children!
Posted by: Glenmore   2008-03-07 13:16  

#4  "The suggestion by Ms Pelosi came as Boeing supporters on Capitol Hill opened a new line of attack against the deal."

That noise you hear is Pelosi paying off Rep. Jim McDermott.
Posted by: DepotGuy   2008-03-07 10:39  

#3  I'm no fan of Airbus, but the right plane won on this one. Boeing was arrogant and tried to use political influence to cram its old technology that is not suited to current AF strategic thinking down the AF's throat. As the article said, Boeing screwed the pooch with Darleen Drunyon and delayed the procurement of badly needed tankers for years. Boeing's corrupt practices forced a recompete and the 767 just didn't measure up to the new requirements. The AF has been fighting a losing battle to recapitalize its aging fleet (see PBD 720 and the more recent creation of AF Cyber Command as symptoms) and the kind of political shenanigans that Boeing has engaged in and is engaging in is just NOT HELPFUL. Besides, the new planes will be built in Alabama, not France.
Posted by: RWV   2008-03-07 10:17  

#2  Wasn't the lobbyist for Boeing Tom Daschle's wife?

I think you're right. I'd forgotten that....
Posted by: Frank G   2008-03-07 07:00  

#1  If I remember correctly, the Air Force was supposed to lease the tankers twice in back to back leases with each lease costing the taxpayers more than double the bucks of an outright purchase.

Wasn't the lobbyist for Boeing Tom Daschle's wife?
Posted by: USMC6743   2008-03-07 00:52  

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