Web posted
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Roberts' Senate seat being challenged
By DAVE SEATON
Winfield Publishing Co.
Sen. Pat Roberts is ready.
The two-term Republican is running for re-election, and former Rep. Jim Slattery, a Democrat from Topeka, is challenging him.
Slattery served six terms in the U. S. House. He announced he would run after Boeing lost a $32 billion tanker contract to EADs, the European manufacturer of Airbus.
Slattery called the lost contact "another factor" in his decision to make the race. He had earlier said, after exploring the political landscape, he would not run.
In an interview in his Senate office, Roberts, who has been working to reverse the Air Force decision, showed light-hearted confidence.
If Slattery wants to make an issue of the tanker deal, Roberts said, he welcomes his old friend to the fray.
"Welcome aboard," Roberts said. "I'll be the pilot. He'll be the copilot. If he's got a better idea, let him try it."
Roberts said he, Rep. Todd Tiahrt and members of the Washington state delegation met regularly to try to turn around the Air Force action.
An investigation by Congress' accounting arm is underway. A finding is expected June 19.
He and his colleagues are putting on "a full court press," Roberts said, and may propose legislation to try to overturn the decision. A moratorium on the tankers is an option, but it is not appealing to Roberts, because the planes are needed now.
"Those planes are older than the pilots," Roberts quipped.
Contacted at his campaign office in Topeka, Slattery said he was "frankly stunned by what the Air Force has done." He put his reaction in the context of maintaining the nation's capacity to manufacture its own military weapons.
"The broader question is what are we going to do to make sure our manufacturing base stays in the United States for our national security," Slattery said. He accused the Bush administration of pursuing "an irresponsible fiscal policy" that was driving jobs overseas, and said Roberts had supported that policy.
Slattery, who has been working as a Washington lawyer, has represented U. S. companies in trade matters.
He cited the rapid rise of China's steel industry -- while the U. S. steel industry languishes -- and the return to India of Indian-American engineers, as signs that U. S. industrial strength was waning.
This nation cannot continue to be a global power if it loses its industrial capacity, Slattery said. "Where have the politicians been over the last ten years?" he asked. "Why didn't they address this problem? Why didn't they do something about it?"
In response, Sarah Little, Roberts' press secretary, said Roberts "has been a visionary in preparing Kansas to remain competitive in a global economy." She called her boss's efforts on behalf of the Kansas economy "robust and comprehensive."
Roberts has worked hard to put Kansas on the cutting edge of technology, Little said.
He helped secure the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University, and its home is named for him, Little recalled. The senator has also been instrumental in securing grants for the Biomedical Research Center in Kansas City, as well as the National Institute for Aviation Research in Wichita.
Little also cited Roberts' Advisory Committee on Science Technology and the Future as an example of his leadership on the economy.
A question for those watching the Roberts/Slattery race is just how deep the economic anxiety over the lost contract may be in Wichita.
Bernie Koch, spokesman for the Wichita Chamber of Commerce, said that anxiety was "very real,"though he didn't know how deep it was. "
Among people who are familiar with the aircraft industry the concern is deeper and the questioning of the process (of the Air Force's decision) is deeper," Koch said.
Spirit, the former Boeing commercial operation, works on the 767, which was the plane Boeing proposed to convert to a tanker. Debbie Gann, Spirit spokeswoman, said the tanker job would have been additional work, and its loss was "not going to be dramatic."
Spirit's major work is on Boeing's 737 and other models, Gann said.
The 767 is"not a huge part of our work," she said.
The Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Wichita could not immediately be reached for comment.
A $25 million state bond issue will help finance plant and equipment for Cessna's new Citation Columbus jet, to be made in Wichita. The project is expected to create over 1,000 jobs, according to Cessna.
Still, Wichita leaders express strong concern about losing aircraft industry jobs to other states, as well as to other countries.
Slattery said he intended to raise the issue of preserving the U. S. manufacturing base in his campaign. Many Kansans are concerned about their jobs today and are outraged at seeing work associated with the tanker program going to France, Slattery said.
"I happen to believe very strongly that tax dollars spent for military equipment should be spent in the United States," Slattery said. He has talked with people in Wichita, including Machinists Union leaders, who are very concerned about the lost contract, Slattery said.
Roberts reported raising $3.97 million for his campaign by the end of March. Slattery reported raising $280,000 in the 12 days following his March 19 announcement. The Democratic challenger expressed confidence he would have the money he needed. He has arranged for Joe Trippe to run his Internet fund raising operation, Slattery said.
Trippe is know for raising money on the Web for the 2004 presidential primary for the campaign of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.The Dean campaign raised $15 million in the first three months of that race.
Trippe also raised money for former Sen. John Edwards in this year's primary.
|
