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I live down here in Mobile and believe me we are just as American, if not more so, then those folks in WA.....Every expert that looked at the competition says it was fair, open and honest and boo hoo, boeing thought being the pocket of all of pols would get the contract, no questions asked!It’s getting a whole lot tiresome to keep hearing these folks trash us here in AL...heck, even the NYT came out in support of NG-EADS....saying the american war fighter deserves the best that $ can buy....

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.

In order to get this Aircraft built in Mobile anytime soon you need to get the facility built before Spring of next year. Good luck to you and McCain. The Air Forces schedule and the Governors site building schedule don’t blend well.
http://www.governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2008-01-14-01-airbus2.asp

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/TANK03038.xml

Maybe you will get some jobs after the prototypes are tested. Of course you realize that this Airbus has never flown and has never been built for anyone...
http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_01_17_A330-200F_go_ahead.html

They are taking an existing airframe and putting a new larger wing on it. Many factors including stress to be worked out yet. The American War Fighter isn’t gettig the best but he might if the promises made by EADS turn out to be true. For me I think the extensive use of Composites including a larger vertical stabilizer will make this Aircraft a ten year wonder. Airbus has had some problems with Composites in the tail of all their Aircraft.

http://www.ntsb.gov/events/2001/AA587/tailcomp.htm

The Air Force changed some key requirements (RISK) such as the runway length which then required Boeing to add a larger wing (-400) to the 767. This then put them at a similar wing span to the Airbus. If the Air Force not changed this then the Boeing product was at an advantage. Now neither aircraft will fit into existing hangar space. Thats another shoe the Air Force will drop in the next few years with more Base closings in order to add adequate hangar space.

By the way the Boeing Proposal was $35 million cheaper than the Airbus deal even with subsidies. If Boeing decides then we will most likely get the truth of what this is about. I doubt we’ll get it anywhere else.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/mar2008/db2008037_973817.htm?campaign_id=yhoo

This should go over well:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/eads-mulls-changes-block-higher/story.aspx?guid=%7B37E0BCEF%2D1EC1%2D4738%2D9F62%2D0F3E640E4392%7D&dist=TQP_Mod_mktwN

See the comments section:
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7bA1285732-2C90-40C2-951F-4C62CB74B09B%7d&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo#comments

“Rumsfeld cancelled Boeing’s initial pact for 100 reconfigured planes after U.S. Sen. John McCain, D-Ariz., now the presumed Republican nominee for president, questioned the wisdom of leasing aircraft back in 2003.”

Let’s see, if all the Airlines lease Aircraft that must be a bad thing too... Wow I wonder why they lease.
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B2D6ED8C2%2DCB28%2D40CC%2D956B%2D5A6828DB6E15%7D&dist=WSJfeed&siteid=WSJ

“For EADS, the $35 billion order is a landmark victory that seals its efforts to expand in North America and grab a larger part of the U.S. defense budget... Overall Northrop said 60% of the plane will be built in the U.S. and the project would support 25,000 jobs. Boeing claims it would have created 44,000 had it won.”
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B40F030A1%2DC41C%2D4C20%2DBDEA%2D05D78D9D6F38%7D&dist=WSJfeed&siteid=WSJ