Trouble_NN1 on_II Air_NN1 Obama_NP1 The_AT helicopter_NN1 the_AT president_NN1 has_VHZ now_RT does_VDZ not_XX seem_VVI perfectly_RR adequate_JJ to_II me_PPIO1 ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ built_VVN in_II 1975_MC !_! 
It_PPH1 costs_VVZ a_AT1 fortune_NN1 to_TO operate_VVI because_II21 of_II22 the_AT stupendous_JJ maintenance_NN1 required_VVN for_IF its_APPGE aging_JJ innards_NN2 ._. 
Really_RR ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ kind_RR21 of_RR22 like_II sending_VVG your_APPGE commander_NN1 in_II chief_NN1 whipping_VVG around_RP in_II an_AT1 airborne_JJ Plymouth_NP1 ._. 
New_JJ presidential_JJ helicopters_NN2 are_VBR being_VBG built_VVN even_RR as_CSA we_PPIS2 speak_VV0 ._. 
But_CCB Obama_NP1 wants_VVZ nothing_PN1 to_TO do_VDI with_IW them_PPHO2 ,_, even_CS21 though_CS22 we_PPIS2 the_AT taxpayers_NN2 have_VH0 already_RR spent_VVN $3.2_NNU billion_NNO on_II them_PPHO2 ._. 
This_DD1 is_VBZ because_CS he_PPHS1 does_VDZ not_XX want_VVI to_TO appear_VVI wasteful_JJ ._. 
Let_VM21 's_VM22 follow_VVI this_DD1 story_NN1 ._. 
After_CS 9/11_MF ,_, the_AT Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 ordered_VVD up_RP a_AT1 new_JJ generation_NN1 of_IO presidential_JJ helicopters_NN2 that_CST would_VM be_VBI able_JK to_TO whisk_VVI the_AT chief_JJ executive_NN1 away_II21 from_II22 the_AT White_NP1 House_NN1 in_II a_AT1 crisis_NN1 ._. 
The_AT new_JJ choppers_NN2 were_VBDR supposed_JJ to_TO be_VBI less_RGR vulnerable_JJ to_TO attack_VVI ,_, carry_VV0 more_DAR people_NN and_CC have_VH0 efficient_JJ communications_NN2 with_IW the_AT outside_JJ world_NN1 ._. 
All_DB of_IO which_DDQ seemed_VVD supremely_RR reasonable_JJ ._. 
Lockheed_VV0 Martin_NP1 won_VVD a_AT1 $6.8_NNU billion_NNO contract_NN1 to_TO build_VVI 23_MC helicopters_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ are_VBR known_VVN as_II the_AT VH-71_MC ._. 
But_CCB as_CSA so_RG often_RR happens_VVZ in_II these_DD2 matters_NN2 ,_, things_NN2 went_VVD badly_RR ._. 
There_EX were_VBDR overruns_NN2 ._. 
Specification_NN1 changes_NN2 ._. 
The_AT Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 wanted_VVD a_AT1 helicopter_NN1 capable_JJ of_IO delivering_VVG the_AT president_NN1 to_II an_AT1 unspecified_JJ safe_JJ retreat_NN1 a_RR21 little_RR22 less_DAR than_CSN 300_MC miles_NNU2 from_II the_AT White_NP1 House_NN1 ._. 
The_AT ability_NN1 to_TO fly_VVI that_RG far_RR without_IW refueling_NN1 came_VVD in_II conflict_NN1 with_IW the_AT need_NN1 to_TO have_VHI a_AT1 helicopter_NN1 that_CST 's_VBZ small_JJ enough_RR to_TO land_VVI on_II the_AT White_NP1 House_NN1 lawn_NN1 without_IW knocking_VVG down_RP trees_NN2 ._. 
Fast_RR forward_RL to_II that_DD1 frugality_NN1 summit_NN1 last_MD February_NPM1 ._. 
Obama_NP1 invited_VVD questions_NN2 from_II members_NN2 of_IO Congress_NN1 ,_, and_CC first_MD up_RP was_VBDZ John_NP1 McCain_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS wanted_VVD to_TO talk_VVI about_II waste_NN1 in_II the_AT Defense_NN1 Department_NN1 --_NN1 like_II the_AT fact_NN1 that_CST "_" your_APPGE helicopter_NN1 is_VBZ now_RT going_VVGK to_TO cost_VVI as_RG much_DA1 as_CSA Air_NN1 Force_NN1 One_MC1 ._. "_" 
McCain_NP1 complains_VVZ about_II Defense_NN1 procurement_NN1 no_PNQS31 matter_PNQS32 who_PNQS33 is_VBZ president_NN1 ._. 
However_RR ,_, that_CST "_" your_APPGE helicopter_NN1 "_" did_VDD seem_VVI a_AT1 tad_NN1 personal_JJ ._. 
There_EX 's_VBZ no_AT easier_JJR way_NN1 to_TO get_VVI under_II the_AT president_NN1 's_GE skin_NN1 than_CSN to_TO suggest_VVI that_CST he_PPHS1 's_VBZ a_AT1 wasteful_JJ spender_NN1 ._. 
When_CS you_PPY 're_VBR setting_VVG new_JJ records_NN2 for_IF budget_NN1 deficits_NN2 on_II an_AT1 hourly_JJ basis_NN1 ,_, you_PPY do_VD0 n't_XX want_VVI anybody_PN1 thinking_VVG you_PPY 're_VBR the_AT kind_NN1 of_IO guy_NN1 who_PNQS demands_VVZ a_AT1 frilly_JJ mode_NN1 of_IO transportation_NN1 ._. 
So_RR Obama_NP1 denounced_VVD the_AT new_JJ helicopters_NN2 as_CSA "_" the_AT procurement_NN1 process_NN1 gone_VVN amok_RR "_" and_CC vowed_VVN reform_NN1 ._. 
In_II April_NPM1 ,_, Secretary_NN1 of_IO Defense_NN1 Robert_NP1 Gates_NP1 helpfully_RR followed_VVN through_RP by_II recommending_VVG that_CST the_AT contract_NN1 be_VBI terminated_VVN ._. 
At_II this_DD1 point_NN1 ,_, we_PPIS2 're_VBR in_RP for_IF nearly_RR $4_NNU billion_NNO if_CS the_AT contract_NN1 is_VBZ shelved_VVN ,_, and_CC we_PPIS2 already_RR have_VH0 five_MC helicopters_NN2 complete_VV0 and_CC undergoing_VVG testing_NN1 ._. 
Under_II the_AT original_JJ plan_NN1 ,_, Lockheed_NP1 is_VBZ now_RT supposed_JJ to_TO start_VVI building_VVG a_AT1 second-stage_JJ super-duper_NN1 model_NN1 that_CST would_VM allow_VVI the_AT president_NN1 to_TO do_VDI in-air_JJ teleconferencing_NN1 and_CC have_VH0 lots_PN of_IO other_JJ nifty_JJ features_NN2 ._. 
Representative_JJ Maurice_NP1 Hinchey_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 Democrat_NN1 of_IO New_NP1 York_NP1 and_CC a_AT1 member_NN1 of_IO the_AT House_NN1 Appropriations_NN2 Subcommittee_NN1 on_II Defense_NN1 ,_, thinks_VVZ the_AT administration_NN1 should_VM just_RR build_VVI the_AT other_JJ helicopters_NN2 on_II the_AT simpler_JJR first-stage_JJ model_NN1 ._. 
Both_RR he_PPHS1 and_CC the_AT manufacturer_NN1 say_VV0 this_DD1 would_VM bring_VVI the_AT entire_JJ project_NN1 in_RP at_II the_AT original_JJ budget_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Defense_NN1 Department_NN1 wants_VVZ to_TO deep-six_MC the_AT whole_JJ plan_NN1 and_CC put_VVD a_AT1 new_JJ contract_NN1 out_RP in_II 2011_MC ._. 
This_DD1 is_VBZ what_DDQ has_VHZ always_RR bothered_VVN me_PPIO1 about_II wasteful_JJ procurement_NN1 stories_NN2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 end_VV0 with_IW the_AT Pentagon_NP1 scrapping_VVG a_AT1 troubled_JJ contract_NN1 and_CC starting_VVG over_RP from_II scratch_NN1 ._. 
We_PPIS2 do_VD0 n't_XX wind_VVI up_RP actually_RR saving_VVG money_NN1 ._. 
We_PPIS2 lose_VV0 our_APPGE original_JJ investment_NN1 and_CC spend_VV0 vast_JJ new_JJ sums_NN2 on_II something_PN1 that_CST 's_VBZ theoretically_RR going_VVGK to_TO be_VBI better_RRR ._. 
The_AT Obama_NP1 administration_NN1 completely_RR ,_, totally_RR rejects_VVZ the_AT theory_NN1 that_CST the_AT contract_NN1 is_VBZ being_VBG canceled_VVN just_RR because_CS the_AT president_NN1 does_VDZ n't_XX want_VVI to_TO be_VBI caught_VVN riding_VVG in_II a_AT1 helicopter_NN1 that_CST John_NP1 McCain_NP1 says_VVZ is_VBZ too_RG expensive_JJ ._. 
But_CCB if_CS there_EX 's_VBZ something_PN1 deeply_RR wrong_JJ with_IW the_AT VH-71s_MC2 besides_II their_APPGE capacity_NN1 to_TO embarrass_VVI the_AT administration_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ n't_XX immediately_RR apparent_JJ ._. 
Gates_NN2 claimed_VVD they_PPHS2 were_VBDR "_" estimated_VVN to_TO have_VHI only_RR a_AT1 5-_NN1 to_II 10-year_JJ useful_JJ life_NN1 ._. "_" 
But_CCB the_AT Federal_JJ Aviation_NN1 Administration_NN1 rates_VVZ a_AT1 commercial_JJ version_NN1 of_IO the_AT helicopters_NN2 as_CSA good_JJ for_IF 30_MC years_NNT2 ._. 
