What John Kerry did on Friday

[whometense]

Romney, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., look on during a news conference in Falmouth, Mass., held Friday to launch their campaign to save Otis Air National Guard Base, one of hundreds of military facilities around the country targeted for closure by the Pentagon. Otis, the Cape Cod airfield which launched fighter jets in response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks, was the major loss for Massachusetts in the proposed list of military base closures released last week by the Pentagon. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole)

http://www.thetranscript.com/Stories/0,1413,103~9068~2881260,00.html

...The Bay State's elected leaders are pledging to prove the Pentagon wrong.

''This decision ... defies logic. It is a decision based on incorrect data and misinformation,'' U.S. Rep. William Delahunt said at a news conference outside the base with Massachusetts Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry and Gov. Mitt Romney.

Their plan is to use experts to analyze the facts and figures the Pentagon relied on to determine Otis should close.

The Legislature had already appropriated $500,000 for a statewide effort to keep its bases open. The money was used to hire Washington consultant Steve Wolf, who is leading the Otis analysis, the governor's office said. Wolf did not return a call to comment.

Otis, home to 500 workers and the 102nd Fighter Wing, ranks better than other bases when it comes to relationships with other military units, readiness, distances to threats, and potential for expansion -- all among the criteria used by the Pentagon, Kerry said.

''That's inexplicable,'' Kerry said of the recommendation, ''unless you wanted that to happen beforehand or unless someone simply made a mistake''...

[TayTay]

1. I genuinely don't think they are going to save Otis

I think they will save Hanscom and will move a lot of the Otis functions there. MA is losing relatively little in this round of base closures. (Which is great. In some ways, we have gained a lot.) But I think that Otis will close and the facility will be sold to developers. (It sits on prime Cape real estate, that land will be scooped up pretty quick.)

I'm very glad they are trying so hard. But I just don't think Otis is going to stay.

[rox63]

9. I don't think Otis will be saved either

But at least Hanscom isn't on the closure list.

Question: How many of the bases on the closure list are in states where there are Republican Senators and Congress-critters (moderates) wavering on the judicial filibuster, social security, and other travesties that BushCo is trying to ram down our throats?

[whometense]

2. Well, at least we get

another picture out of the effort!



On hand yesterday at Otis Air National Guard Base were (from left) Representative William Delahunt, Senator John F. Kerry, Governor Mitt Romney, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy. The delegation began the process tomakethe case to keep the base open. (Globe Staff Photo / Jonathan Wiggs)

[elshiva]

4. They look sullen!

:(

[WildEyedLiberal]

5. They had to sit next to Mittens

You'd be sullen too.

[elshiva]

6. I sure would. I HATE that Mittens!

[karynnj]

7. But they at least have him surrounded, : )

[whometense]

3. Video, too.

MA lawmakers push to save base

[ginnyinWI]

8. watching this video

I can see how JK's thinking is presidential; he looks at the big picture, seeing how this proposed closing fits with all the others, not just the interests of his own state.