CNN’s Dobbs calls tanker deal "idiotic"

Published 11:06 am Thursday, March 6, 2008

“We’re being told by this administration, this government, this Congress that the American worker can go to hell.” – CNN’s Lou Dobbs, on the Air Force passing over the Boeing Co. for a lucrative tanker contract.

The international president of Boeing Machinists appeared on CNN last night with Lou Dobbs to discuss the Pentagon’s decision to award a $35 billion contract to Northrop Grumman and EADS, parent company of Airbus.

The Machinists’ Tom Buffenbarger found a sympathetic ear in Dobbs, who called the Air Force’s pick “idiotic.”

Buffenbarger and the Machinists say the Air Force is shipping American jobs overseas because the Northrop-EADS tanker is based off of an Airbus A330. EADS will continue to build major assemblies for the KC-30 tanker and ship them to Mobile, Ala., for final assembly. The duo say their tanker is comprised of about 60 percent American content.

Boeing offered its KC-767 tanker, which is assembled in Everett with finishing work done in Kansas. The 767 has pieces that come from foreign countries but has a higher U.S. content.

“Everybody in America needs to be outraged over this,” Buffenbarger said.

He suggested there will be a revolution coming, perhaps with the presidential election, to change the amount of outsourcing being done by American companies.

“We’re going to fight this … we’re going to see America gets what it deserves,” Buffenbarger said.

The Machinists have a link to the CNN clip on their Web site. You’ll also find there links to petitions opposing the tanker award.