Barack Obama represents Illinois, corporate home of Boeing. Even so, 62 percent of participants in a Wichita-area poll by SurveyUSA for KWCH, Channel 12, said they think a President McCain would be more likely than a President Obama to support Boeing’s bid to build the tanker. Those two-thirds apparently are willing to overlook McCain’s crusading against Boeing on the tanker-lease deal and that at least five of McCain’s former or current campaign officials lobbied the Pentagon and Congress on behalf of Airbus on the now-shelved purchase contract.
In an article about lawmakers who’ve lagged in endorsing their parties’ presidential nominees, the Hill newspaper said that Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, “a strong opponent of the campaign finance law that McCain helped craft, has moved from the no endorsement category to haven’t-endorsed-but-support-the-GOP-nominee grouping.” In addition, it reported that Rep. Jerry Moran (in photo), R-Hays, “has declined to comment to the Hill on whether he endorses McCain.”
Questions linger about how much due diligence John McCain’s campaign did before picking Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the vice presidential spot. By contrast, the vetting by the Barack Obama campaign of possible running mate Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ was “probably the most intense and extensive scrutiny that I or my family members have ever experienced,” Sebelius told the Hutchinson News. Even her two adult sons were “thoroughly vetted” in separate interviews, she said.
Asked about her interest in an Obama Cabinet post, she said again that she loves being governor and it would have to be “absolutely the right mission with the right set of people.” Sounds like she’s interested — as well as pre-vetted.
Credit the investment committee of the Kansas Bioscience Authority for getting it — that the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education’s value to the state is great and its funding needs are real and pressing. 
Though the three-year, $6.1 million proposal the panel decided Wednesday to recommend to the full authority falls short of WCGME’s $9 million request, it would afford the physician-training program a funding stream as well as a significant opportunity to do some strategic planning. “The money will be there, but you’ll have to come back and tell us what you need it for,” committee member Ed McKechnie told officials with WCGME, a consortium that includes the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and Wesley and Via Christi hospitals. The plan also would require WCGME to find $3.9 million from other sources, and WCGME may need to pursue state money beyond the $2.5 million approved this year by the Legislature. But assuming the bioscience authority board follows its investment committee’s lead next month, which it should, WCGME’s future now looks firmer.
Barack Obama represents Illinois, corporate home of Boeing. Even so, 62 percent of participants in a Wichita-area poll by SurveyUSA for KWCH, Channel 12, said they think a President McCain would be more likely than a President Obama to support Boeing’s bid to build the tanker. Those two-thirds apparently are willing to overlook McCain’s crusading against Boeing on the tanker-lease deal and that at least five of McCain’s former or current campaign officials lobbied the Pentagon and Congress on behalf of Airbus on the now-shelved purchase contract.
