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McCain said he is keeping an open mind on the contract, but in the past he has boasted about his role in blocking an earlier version of the tanker deal that gave the contract to Boeing. The deal was killed in 2004 after a former Boeing executive improperly recruited an Air Force official while she was still overseeing contracts involving prospective Boeing deals. The former Air Force official, Darleen Druyun, and a top Boeing executive both served time in prison, and the scandal led to the departure of Boeing's chief executive and several top Air Force officials.

This deal needed to be blocked. Ms. Druyun had negotiated Boeing jobs for herself, her daughter, and her future son-in-law. That's bribery.

Boeing is lucky they even had a chance to re-negotiate.

This deal needed to be blocked. Ms. Druyun had negotiated Boeing jobs for herself, her daughter, and her future son-in-law. That's bribery. Boeing is lucky they even had a chance to re-negotiate.

I stayed away from this in my earlier post, but you are absolutely correct. Boeing had to pay out $615,000,000 in penalties for their part in the Darleen Druyun shenanigans. This stuff was almost certainly in the back of the minds of the Selection Board when they made the decision and might have been used as an informal decision criteria had the issue been closer. Like I said, the government has long memories.