Murtha Blasts McCain Over Tanker Contract

[babylonsister]

Murtha Blasts McCain Over Tanker Contract

By David M. Herszenhorn


WASHINGTON – Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, one of the most powerful House Democrats on military affairs, accused Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, of slowing down the efforts by the Air Force to replace its aging fleet of refueling tankers.

Mr. Murtha’s comments came as the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which he heads, opened an official inquiry into the Pentagon’s decision to award the multibillion-dollar contract for refueling tankers to a partnership between Northrop Grumman and EADS, the European parent of Airbus.

A number of lawmakers in both parties have raised an outcry over the contract, saying that such a hugely expensive and critically sensitive military project should not be awarded to a foreign company. And they have raised questions over whether Boeing Company, which lost the deal to the Northrop Grumman group, was treated fairly.

At a hearing today, Mr. Murtha and Representative Norm Dicks, Democrat of Washington, who is a staunch ally of Boeing, made clear that the debate over the tanker deal would be as much about politics as anything else. And it was Mr. Murtha who immediately raised a question about a certain Republican senator’s involvement; while he did not utter Senator McCain’s name, it was clear who he meant.

more...

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/murtha-blasts-mccain-over-tanker-contract/#more-4440

[ingac70]

1. The protectionist wing of the Repubs...

are really pissed off about Airbus getting that contract over Boeing.

[MadMaddie]

2. There ya go....Murtha needs to get louder

This contract was originally rewarded to Boeing.....McCain wanted the contract reviewed saying it would be too costly....

http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=cfd196cc-fbc8-4e2c-a815-91c969081e72&Region_id=&Issue_id=e746bb72-1e36-422a-b205-848b7b33fae0

[Adsos Letter]

3. At this point....

does Congress have authority to override this deal?

[NutmegYankee]

5. They always do.

Power of the purse.

[TwilightGardener]

4. So McCain decided to support giving away American manufacturing jobs

for our national defense (and our tax dollars) to the French? Can the Democrats start spinning it this way, please? This would go over REALLY well in the economically hardest-hit areas of the country, I would think--like a fart in church.