Web posted
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Contract loss may show weakness
By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer
TOPEKA (AP) -- Some Democrats believe the Air Force's decision to give a $35 billion tanker contract to a French company makes Republican Sen. Pat Roberts and Rep. Todd Tiahrt vulnerable as they seek re-election this year.
But on Tuesday, Roberts and Tiahrt decried attempts by opponents to make a political issue out of the decision. They noted they're working with Democrats from other affected states, such as Washington, to get the decision overturned.
''I'm sure the locals would like to make this a political thing, but here in Washington, this is a bipartisan issue, and we're fighting for American jobs,'' Tiahrt said. ''I think it's rather petty for our local Democrats.''
Members of the state's congressional delegation were angered by the Air Force announcement Friday that it was awarding the contract to Airbus instead of Chicago-based Boeing Co. The delegation asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday to suspend the contract while Congress reviews the decision.
Roberts has said a contract with Boeing could bring 1,000 jobs to the Wichita area.
Some Kansas Democrats were asking why Roberts and Tiahrt couldn't prevent the contract from going to Airbus.
''That's a big issue,'' said Lee Kinch, a Derby attorney who represents Kansas on the Democratic National Committee. ''It's hard to understand why the Bush administration would give a contract to Airbus.''
Spokeswoman Sarah Little said Roberts wouldn't tolerate fellow Republicans attacking Democratic members of Congress from other states over the decision.
''Nor is it fair for the Democratic Party to attack us,'' she said.
Members of Congress from states affected by Boeing's loss in the tanker competition continued to criticize the decision. Tiahrt started an online petition to protest the decision, saying the competition for the contract was ''unfair and poorly evaluated.''
''It does not make sense that the Air Force would choose a foreign entity that has no prior tanker experience to build the next generation of refueling aircraft for the men and women of our Air Force,'' Roberts said during a Senate speech.
Roberts said military officials did not judge the two bids fairly and failed to explain why they suddenly became interested in a larger plane with more cargo space than the more fuel-efficient tanker Boeing offered.
Sen. Sam Brownback, another Kansas Republican, also promised to fight against the deal and called it ''a huge mistake'' to put a contract that involves military security into the hands of a foreign government.
''What happens if Europeans aren't pleased with our defense policies?'' Brownback asked. ''What if in the future they started saying, 'We're not going to sell you spare parts? Then where are we?'''
Democrats also were critical. Govs. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Chris Gregoire of Washington State issued a joint statement saying they are shocked by the decision and pledging to support their congressional delegations' efforts to get it reviewed.
Democratic Rep. Nancy Boyda, who represents the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, said, ''It just makes no sense for America to outsource our ability to defend a nation.''
Air Force officials were expected to answer more questions on Wednesday at a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
Boeing officials say they won't decide whether to contest the decision until they hear next week from Air Force officials on why they lost.
In a letter to Gates, the Kansas delegation said: ''Based on initial discussions with Air Force officials and media leaks, the Air Force's ratings of each competitor appear unfair, incomplete, and at times illogical.''
But some Democrats in Kansas began questioning Roberts' and Tiahrt's role -- or lack of one -- almost as soon as the decision was announced.
Lee Jones, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Roberts, circulated a mock list of reasons to re-elect Roberts as Democratic activists gathered for their annual Washington Days convention this weekend. His top reason was that Roberts wouldn't ''bother'' Bush about giving a contract to Airbus.
''His president gave the Boeing factory away,'' Jones said. ''Where was he?''
Roberts is a heavy favorite for re-election. He began the year with $2.7 million in campaign funds, and no Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in GOP-leaning Kansas since 1932.
''They're trying to find something negative to hang on Pat Roberts, and this is just ridiculous,'' said state GOP Chairman Kris Kobach.
And Little said: ''This is a partisan distraction that is not productive and does not benefit Boeing workers in any way.''
State Sen. Donald Betts, of Wichita, the only Democrat to announce he is seeking Tiahrt's seat, said he will make the Air Force's decision a campaign issue. He said Tiahrt needs to explain why he couldn't ''push his power'' enough to prevent it.
''Congressman Tiahrt has voted 97 percent of the time with President Bush. What does that say?'' Betts said.
Tiahrt called such comments ''an outrage.'' He said the decision wasn't made in the White House, but in the Pentagon.
''I'm here working in a bipartisan fashion to get the right thing done, to build an American tanker with an American company, using American workers,'' Tiahrt said.
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