Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Wichita Eagle
March 18, 2008 By Brent D. Wistrom, The Wichita Eagle
Standing with a bar graph depicting billions of dollars in foreign government subsidies to a consortium of European aircraft companies, Sen. Sam Brownback on Monday stressed that a massive tanker contract must be overturned.
It was the latest in a string of harsh criticism of the Air Force's decision to award a $35 billion contract to the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., Airbus' parent company, and Northrop Grumman, instead of to the Boeing Co., to build the next generation of aerial-refueling tankers.
Brownback said U.S. government figures show the European companies received $5 billion in subsidies that were intended to jump-start their commercial aircraft program. Now that subsidy is undercutting an American company on a military contract, Brownback told about 150 people at a downtown Rotary lunch at the Broadview Hotel.
"Do you think Boeing could launch a good aircraft with $5 billion?" he asked.
The crowd of business leaders and government officials applauded loudly when Brownback said the contract decisions should be overturned.
Brownback said the tanker deal "popped us right in the jaw" in Kansas. He later noted that he is working with other officials to determine the full economic impact of losing the contract.
"I'm still mad about this," he said.
Brownback said questions remain about what it means to have vital American military equipment built overseas. He suggested, for example, that foreign governments may try to restrict use of their airspace or stop sending spare parts for the planes if the governments disagree with America's involvement in foreign affairs, such as the war in Iraq.
The senator also reflected some on his failed presidential bid and the contenders still in the race.
But he didn't talk about his party's candidate, Sen. John McCain. Instead, he told the crowd he believes that the longer the Democratic race drags on, the better Sen. Hillary Clinton's chances are.
Brownback called Sen. Barack Obama a "gifted, very-good speaker" whose image was hurt some by Clinton's attack ads suggesting Obama wouldn't be prepared to handle a major crisis when the phone rings in the White House at 3 a.m.
Of his own presidential bid, Brownback said he learned a lot from traveling the country and listening to people's concerns. He said it will make him a better senator. But, as he has before, he addressed his success with self-depreciating humor.
"The most successful thing I did was get out of the race," he said. "That's what I got the most publicity for."
March 18, 2008 By Brent D. Wistrom, The Wichita Eagle
Standing with a bar graph depicting billions of dollars in foreign government subsidies to a consortium of European aircraft companies, Sen. Sam Brownback on Monday stressed that a massive tanker contract must be overturned.
It was the latest in a string of harsh criticism of the Air Force's decision to award a $35 billion contract to the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., Airbus' parent company, and Northrop Grumman, instead of to the Boeing Co., to build the next generation of aerial-refueling tankers.
Brownback said U.S. government figures show the European companies received $5 billion in subsidies that were intended to jump-start their commercial aircraft program. Now that subsidy is undercutting an American company on a military contract, Brownback told about 150 people at a downtown Rotary lunch at the Broadview Hotel.
"Do you think Boeing could launch a good aircraft with $5 billion?" he asked.
The crowd of business leaders and government officials applauded loudly when Brownback said the contract decisions should be overturned.
Brownback said the tanker deal "popped us right in the jaw" in Kansas. He later noted that he is working with other officials to determine the full economic impact of losing the contract.
"I'm still mad about this," he said.
Brownback said questions remain about what it means to have vital American military equipment built overseas. He suggested, for example, that foreign governments may try to restrict use of their airspace or stop sending spare parts for the planes if the governments disagree with America's involvement in foreign affairs, such as the war in Iraq.
The senator also reflected some on his failed presidential bid and the contenders still in the race.
But he didn't talk about his party's candidate, Sen. John McCain. Instead, he told the crowd he believes that the longer the Democratic race drags on, the better Sen. Hillary Clinton's chances are.
Brownback called Sen. Barack Obama a "gifted, very-good speaker" whose image was hurt some by Clinton's attack ads suggesting Obama wouldn't be prepared to handle a major crisis when the phone rings in the White House at 3 a.m.
Of his own presidential bid, Brownback said he learned a lot from traveling the country and listening to people's concerns. He said it will make him a better senator. But, as he has before, he addressed his success with self-depreciating humor.
"The most successful thing I did was get out of the race," he said. "That's what I got the most publicity for."