Rumsfeld-McCain feud grew after summer lunch

The Washington Times ^ | 01-10-05 | Rowan Scarborough

[GoldenOrchid]

Defense officials say that the Donald H. Rumsfeld-John McCain relationship, never the closest or friendliest, really soured at a private meeting the two had last summer. The strong-willed defense secretary and the equally hard-nosed Republican senator from Arizona, both ex-Navy pilots and hawks on Iraq, were supposed to make peace over two nagging issues. Mr. McCain did not believe Mr. Rumsfeld was adequately paying attention to, or disclosing information about, the Boeing tanker lease scandal Mr. McCain took to the Senate floor Nov. 19 and read e-mail excerpts and called the Boeing deal "a case of either a systemic failure in procurement oversight, willful blindness or rank corruption." Several defense officials now say that Mr. McCain has been correct to press the Pentagon on making more public disclosures on the Boeing deal. A Bush administration official said last week that the basic disagreement is that Mr. McCain believes the scandal is broader than the actions of Mrs. Druyun and that culpable Pentagon officials should be fired, while the Department of Defense does not at this point.

[zzen01]

Deck 'em Rummy!

[jocko12]

McPain is just blowing smoke out of his rectum.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

The senator has hurt Mr. Rumsfeld's standing in Washington by, among other things, saying in December that he had "no confidence" in Mr. Rumsfeld.

McCain's big mouth has created a more positive impression of Rumsfeld in my mind.

[GoldenOrchid]

a noncompetitive plan by the Air Force to lease refueling jets from Boeing Co. for a cost that could reach $30 billion. The more that Mr. McCain, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, looked into the deal, the worse he said it smelled. He started demanding documents — including internal e-mails of Air Force Secretary James Roche and others — but the Pentagon initially stonewalled. Defense sources say the White House drew up a letter in response that restricted access to Mr. McCain, who could only read the documents, not copy them or take notes. "The letter was completely insulting to the senator," a defense official acknowledged later. Darleen Druyun, the Air Force official and later Boeing executive who principally negotiated the deal, pleaded guilty in federal court to a conflict of interest and is serving a nine-month prison sentence.

[marron]

I like Rum and I don't like McCain.

But I'm dubious about "privatizing" the Air Force's refueling activities. I would be curious to know a little more about how certain folks at the Pentagon decided renting was better than owning.

Unfortunately, the article is focused on the personality issue and ignores the details of the basic disagreement. And if push comes to shove, I trust Rum more than I do McCain on almost every level.

[marron]

"Darleen Druyun, the Air Force official and later Boeing executive who principally negotiated the deal, pleaded guilty in federal court to a conflict of interest and is serving a nine-month prison sentence. "

Uh-oh, I missed that line.

[Cicero]

Maybe Rummy should have asked if McCain remembered the Keating Five scandal. Or asked him what kind of deal he made with clinton to get the DEA off his wife's back. Or asked him what the payoff was for selling his fellow POW/MIAs down the river.

McCain posing as an Untouchable is worth a laugh.

[MonroeDNA]

How's that temper problem, McInsane?

[Dolphy]

McCain posing as an Untouchable is worth a laugh.

It sure is. Whenever he wraps himself around an issue you can bet the same sort is in his closet.

[taxesareforever]

I am not a supporter of McCain but I must give him a standing ovation for shutting down the Boeing deal. It stunk of corruption and it was because of him and only him that this deal was sunk.

[GoldenOrchid]

While your assesments are correct, this corruption did happen and someone is now spending time in Prison for it. I am a firl beleiver that Fellow Conservatives should be the ones to Police ourselves. Say what you will about McCain, what caught my eye was this No-BID scandal, and what might happen if it becomes a big issue, yet again.

[weenie]

I suspect the enemy did something...something dreadful and permanent...to McCain when he was a POW. And it is all coming out now.

[pierrem15]

McCain's big mouth has created a more positive impression of Rumsfeld in my mind.

Every time McCain attacks the adminsitration, I know they're right and it's just more grunting from the rare High Sonoran Desert White RINO.

[IPWGOP]

[PhiKapMom]

I very seldom agree with McCain but he was dead on right on this issue with the Boeing Tanker deal -- it was a very bad deal for the AF IMHO!

[GoldenOrchid]

U R not alone here. Blind support is not a good thing. I agree with you, either we bring corruption out in front or the Dems will do it for us.

[pierrem15]

Immediately after 9/11 the Air Force had a big push to replace its over-streched and ageing tanker force. This part was reasonable, even the no-bid aspect of it (who else is going to get the bid, Airbus? talk about giving money to the enemy!).

What was wrong about it was the fact that Boeing decided it needed to cement the deal by effectively bribing the procurement officials by means of fat post-DOD employment and 'consulting' contracts.

Boeing has effectively lost the contract for the moment and the DOD officials directly responsible have been or are being prosecuted.

What McCain wanted is more (possibly innocent) personnel scalped as a means of having Rumsfeld kiss the Royal Senatorial Arse.

Rumsfeld told him where to go.

[Fiddlstix]

[marktwain]

In Arizona, there are many of us who feel that McCain does a terrible job of representing us. But, so far, his cozy deal with the Old Media and his ability to hide behind his status as a POW have kept him in office.

There was a recall attempt against him, but it was short circuited and died with 9-11.