Posted on 03/08/2008 4:24:09 AM PST by tobyhill
WASHINGTON - Angry Boeing supporters are vowing revenge against Republican presidential candidate John McCain over Chicago-based Boeing's loss of a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract to the parent company of European plane maker Airbus.
There are other targets for their ire — the Air Force, the defense secretary and even the entire Bush administration.
But Boeing supporters in Congress are directing their wrath at McCain, the Arizona senator and nominee in waiting, for scuttling an earlier deal that would have let Boeing build the next generation of Air Force refueling tankers. Boeing now will miss out on a deal that it says would have supported 44,000 new and existing jobs at the company and suppliers in 40 states.
"I hope the voters of this state remember what John McCain has done to them and their jobs," said Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., whose state would have been home to the tanker program and gained about 9,000 jobs.
"Having made sure that Iraq gets new schools, roads, bridges and dams that we deny America, now we are making sure that France gets the jobs that Americans used to have," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill. "We are sending the jobs overseas, all because John McCain demanded it."
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. and its U.S. partner, Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman, won a competition with Boeing Feb. 29 to build the refueling planes in one of the biggest Pentagon contracts in decades. The unexpected decision has sparked outrage from union halls to the halls of Congress over the impact on U.S. jobs, prestige and national security. EADS and Northrop say about 60 percent of their tanker will be built in the U.S.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Wasn’t Boeing caught several years ago greasing the way toward a contract( private meetings with a Pentagon rep) for the tankers? They paid an enormous fine. They are still being punished.
Maybe. But ihe Iralians and Japanese, who ordered their Boeings even earlier, still don't have them operational.
Boeing already outsources outside the country. They did it with the 787, too.
“Exactly, McCain wasn’t getting the union vote anyway.”
WRONG!
This is a big Defense contractor. Most of the folks working at the plants are former Military. Lots of conservatives with no choice but to join the Unions. This is targeted at keeping them home on election day and it’s going to work.
I don’t think any Politician took a real close look at the original lease deal for the 767 tankers. They just piled on when they heard that Boeing had hired a former Government Procurement worker.
Yo Rahm,
The planes will be built in ALABAMA, USA. Some parts will come from overseas, as do some parts of boeings planes, but boeing screwed the pooch and is now whining.
Well, maybe Boeing and NorthropGrumman should just start making military equipment for China, like EADS does...
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/eads-to-codevelop-ec175-helicopter-with-china-01585/
You miss my point. It will not matter if the contract is a good deal or a bad one. It only matters how the press will spin it and how McCain counters that spin.
If the press shows closed stores and unemployed workers in 40 states that would have had work had Boeing got the contract before McCain gets out front showing the people working because of the contract etc., he takes a hit he can’t afford if he really expects to win.
I haven’t looked at the bids and don’t know if it’s a good thing or not. I’m not commenting on that. I do know that perception is reality in politics and this could hurt McCain badly.
***“Comparatively, Boeing’s 776 tanker is 85 percent built in the United States.”***
The way Boeing is complaining I thought they were 100% American.
They don’t understand. John is good at surrendering. He wanted to practice surrendering to Europeans this time.
Elections have consequences - If you elect anti war liberals like Cantwell, Murray and Dicks, don't expect to reap the rewards of big military contracts.
So true. Give defense contracts to states that still care about our military members.
“Boeing already works with China.”
They purchase parts and sub assemblied parts from China. My link was in response to your stating that fact.
EADS has strategic agreements with China and they sell military aircraft and technology to China...BIG DIFFERENCE.
I believe Airbus has a complete A320 plant in China (or is in the process of building one).
If the airframe is being built on existing lines in France, that is where the bulk of the jobs will be and the bulk of the money will go.
Oh well. To me it’s not that big of difference since Chinese aircraft aren’t attacking us, the Chinese trade is. Boeing was going to build 85% here in America where Northrup is at 58%. Doesn’t sound all American which ever way it’s spliced.
This is ridiculous. Boeing tried to bribe the Air Force to get the tanker job and two of its people did prison time for it. I am not pleased that the Eurotrash got a big piece of this, but Boeing had only itself to blame. If they had the best proposal they would have landed it. As it was, they had an inferior proposal.
what’s a few more jobs going overseas anyway?
Political expediency at the price of national security is no virtue, My FRiend.
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