President Obama And Tea Party Join Forces In Jet Engine Debate

02:42

February 16, 2011

A variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C, conducts a test flight over the Chesapeake Bay. (AP/U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin)

The F-35 jet is the Pentagon's biggest weapons program, and there is key vote in Congress today over whether to cut money for developing a second, alternate engine for the jets this year.

President Obama, Defense Secretary Gates and some members of the Tea Party are joining forces and arguing that the second engine, which GE wants to build with Rolls-Royce in factories in several states, is wasteful defense spending.

But the new engine has a powerful backer in the House: Speaker John Boehner oh Ohio, where it would be built in part. We speak with Boston Globe national political reporter Theo Emery.

Boston Globe: Push is on to cut funds for engine from Lynn

This segment aired on February 16, 2011.