Boeing, boing, splat!

Airbus, Boeing's arch competitor, won the competition for an Air Force tanker contract on "four key areas -- mission capability, past performance, cost/price and integrated fleet aerial refueling". Details, details, details... don't let the facts confuse you. The real competitor is patriotism, the scoundrel's last refuge.

You will recall that John McCain led the fight to expose and block the original deal with Boeing. That was a corrupt, sole-source (no competition) swindle that landed a couple people in jail. Now congress is falling over itself decrying any competition the French can win. The French! Could it be better? A Republican being caught on the wrong side of such demagogy is all the more delicious for its rarity. Ya gotta feel a little bad for poor ol’ John but you can save most of your sympathy for the misused Boeing worker and abused American taxpayer.