Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Wall Street Journal
April 18, 2008
Pg. 14
By August Cole
Boeing Co.'s most ardent political supporters in Congress threatened to cut off funding for a $40 billion Air Force aerial-refueling-tanker contract following the loss to a Northrop Grumman Corp. team that will use an Airbus jet.
"We're going to try to eliminate the funding," said Washington state Democratic Rep. Norm Dicks, a member of the defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. "We're going to try to make a fight on the funding of this in the regular bill."
The comments were made at an outdoor rally on Capitol Hill attended by union leaders and lawmakers representing Washington and Kansas, where Boeing has a significant presence. Some attendees held signs reading "U.S. Workers -- Protect U.S. Military" and "Tax $$ for U.S.A. -- Not France!"
The rally was the latest escalation in a political brawl that has stretched the boundaries of what is acceptable in the battle for Pentagon dollars. Boeing filed a formal protest after the Air Force's decision to give the contract to Northrop, kicking off what has become an almost-daily war of words between the bitter rivals.
Both companies have run full-page ads in national and Washington, D.C.-area newspapers. Boeing's ads have gone so far as to directly criticize the Air Force, while Northrop has trotted out a roster of former Air Force generals to defend the decision.
Northrop sends out so-called Tanker Truths email messages several times a day in an operation reminiscent of a boiler-room political campaign. For example, Northrop's message Thursday referred to Boeing's backers as "apologists." The Air Force awarded the contract, which will include 179 planes, to Northrop Grumman Feb. 29. The service said it liked the modified Airbus A330 being offered by Northrop because it could carry more fuel and cargo.
Boeing soon after filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office. The Air Force and Northrop tried but failed to get parts of Boeing's protest thrown out. The Air Force Thursday filed its formal response to Boeing's protest, in which it asked the GAO to deny the entire protest. The GAO is expected to make its decision by mid-June.
Kansas Republican Rep. Todd Tiahrt said the Air Force badly needs new tanker jets, which refuel aircraft in midair and can haul cargo. "We are going to fund a tanker; the question is, which one are we going to fund? I think we're going to fund the" 767 being offered by Boeing, he said.
Northrop's backers made themselves heard Thursday. "If this decision is not overturned by GAO, any attempt to alter this decision through the appropriations process or any other legislative maneuver would be dangerously shortsighted," Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker said on the Senate floor.
The White House has requested $893 million for the program in fiscal-year 2009 Defense Department budget, which covers spending as of Oct. 1, 2008.
A Northrop spokesman and an Air Force spokeswoman declined to comment. A Boeing spokesman said the company is "focused on providing information to the American public" and "looking forward to the GAO" decision.
April 18, 2008
Pg. 14
By August Cole
Boeing Co.'s most ardent political supporters in Congress threatened to cut off funding for a $40 billion Air Force aerial-refueling-tanker contract following the loss to a Northrop Grumman Corp. team that will use an Airbus jet.
"We're going to try to eliminate the funding," said Washington state Democratic Rep. Norm Dicks, a member of the defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. "We're going to try to make a fight on the funding of this in the regular bill."
The comments were made at an outdoor rally on Capitol Hill attended by union leaders and lawmakers representing Washington and Kansas, where Boeing has a significant presence. Some attendees held signs reading "U.S. Workers -- Protect U.S. Military" and "Tax $$ for U.S.A. -- Not France!"
The rally was the latest escalation in a political brawl that has stretched the boundaries of what is acceptable in the battle for Pentagon dollars. Boeing filed a formal protest after the Air Force's decision to give the contract to Northrop, kicking off what has become an almost-daily war of words between the bitter rivals.
Both companies have run full-page ads in national and Washington, D.C.-area newspapers. Boeing's ads have gone so far as to directly criticize the Air Force, while Northrop has trotted out a roster of former Air Force generals to defend the decision.
Northrop sends out so-called Tanker Truths email messages several times a day in an operation reminiscent of a boiler-room political campaign. For example, Northrop's message Thursday referred to Boeing's backers as "apologists." The Air Force awarded the contract, which will include 179 planes, to Northrop Grumman Feb. 29. The service said it liked the modified Airbus A330 being offered by Northrop because it could carry more fuel and cargo.
Boeing soon after filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office. The Air Force and Northrop tried but failed to get parts of Boeing's protest thrown out. The Air Force Thursday filed its formal response to Boeing's protest, in which it asked the GAO to deny the entire protest. The GAO is expected to make its decision by mid-June.
Kansas Republican Rep. Todd Tiahrt said the Air Force badly needs new tanker jets, which refuel aircraft in midair and can haul cargo. "We are going to fund a tanker; the question is, which one are we going to fund? I think we're going to fund the" 767 being offered by Boeing, he said.
Northrop's backers made themselves heard Thursday. "If this decision is not overturned by GAO, any attempt to alter this decision through the appropriations process or any other legislative maneuver would be dangerously shortsighted," Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker said on the Senate floor.
The White House has requested $893 million for the program in fiscal-year 2009 Defense Department budget, which covers spending as of Oct. 1, 2008.
A Northrop spokesman and an Air Force spokeswoman declined to comment. A Boeing spokesman said the company is "focused on providing information to the American public" and "looking forward to the GAO" decision.