Roberts continues Boeing hypocrisy

UPDATE: Despite voting for McCain's 2003 amendment which paved the way for this disastrous decision, Sen. Roberts still has the nerve to attack McCain over the decision. Roberts spoke while giving a lecture at Hutchinson Community College.

All six members of Kansas' delegation in Washington - four Republicans and two Democrats - are working together to reverse the Air Force's recent decision to award a $35 billion contract for air refueling tanker aircraft to a group including Airbus' manufacturer. The losing bidder was Boeing, with operations in Wichita.

"Unwise" and "unbelievable" Roberts said of the decision that will create jobs in France at the expense of the U.S.

The expected Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., successfully opposed an earlier tanker lease deal involving Boeing. That squelched project caused a scandal for both Boeing and the Air Force and paved the way for the competitive round that led to the Airbus victory.

Roberts observed that when McCain flew to Wichita for a quick campaign stop before the Kansas GOP presidential caucus in February, he landed in an Airbus plane.

"Now if that doesn't tell you something," Roberts said.

Make no mistake, we agree with what he's saying now, we just wish his epiphany would've come before his 2003 vote that allowed it to happen in the first place.