“Too late. Mediocre presidents like Bush and Ford rate aircraft carriers. Hack congressmen like Murtha rate amphibious ships. Senators like Warner get submarines. It’s enough to make you throw up some times.”
Don’t forget the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23). Yuk!
It goes back further than that. Carl Vinson got a carrier. Scoop Jackson got a ballistic missile sub. Russell and Rivers got SSNs. The Navy isn't stupid. It knows that one of the best ways to get funding is to play on the egos of politicians. In many ways it's better to get a commissioned submarine named after Jimmy Carter than a canceled submarine named after a fish.