ABC News: Palin Said She Opposed Bridge, Explains AK's Earmark $$$
In the second installment of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin, the AK governor insists she opposed the Bridge to Nowhere, according to excerpts of the conversation released this afternoon by ABC News. The interview airs this evening.
CHARLES GIBSON: But it's now pretty clearly documented. You supported that bridge before you opposed it. You were wearing a t-shirt in the 2006 campaign, showed your support for the bridge to nowhere.
SARAH PALIN: I was wearing a t-shirt with the zip code of the community that was asking for that bridge. Not all the people in that community even were asking for a $400 million or $300 million bridge.
CHARLES GIBSON: But you turned against it after Congress had basically pulled the plug on it; after it became apparent that the state was going to have to pay for it, not the Congress; and after it became a national embarrassment to the state of Alaska. So do you want to revise and extend your remarks.
SARAH PALIN: It has always been an embarrassment that abuse of the ear form -- earmark process has been accepted in Congress. And that's what John McCain has fought. And that's what I joined him in fighting. It's been an embarrassment, not just Alaska's projects. But McCain gives example after example after example. I mean, every state has their embarrassment.
And more Palin comments about AK earmarks available after the jump.
GIBSON: The state of Alaska, under OMB figures in 2008, got $155 million in earmarks for a population of 670,000. That's $231 per person in Alaska. The state of Illinois, Obama's state, got $22 per person. You got ten times per person as much. How does that square with your reforms?
PALIN: We have drastically, drastically reduced our earmark request since I came into office.
GIBSON: But you still have multiple of any other state.
PALIN: We sure are -- and this is what -- you go out and you ask any Alaskan this. This is what I've been telling Alaskans for these years that I've been in office, is no more.
GIBSON: Governor, this year, requested $3.2 million for researching the genetics of harbor seals, money to study the mating habits of crabs. Isn't that exactly the kind of thing that John McCain is objecting to?
PALIN: Those requests, through our research divisions and fish and game and our wildlife departments and our universities, those research requests did come through that system, but wanting it to be in the light of day, not behind closed doors, with lobbyists making deals with Congress to stick things in there under the public radar. That's the abuse that we're going to stop. That's what John McCain has promised over and over for these years and that's what I'm joining him, also, saying, you're right, the abuse of earmarks, it's un-American, it's undemocratic, and it's not going to be accepted in a McCain-Palin administration. Earmark abuse will stop.
Wow. Caught in a lie.
COULD IT BE THAT BOTH SHE AND THE SENATOR ARE FORGETFULL ABOUT THE FACTS. AS I GET OLDER, WITH MY 64TH BIRTHDAY COMING UP, I FIND THAT I FORGET THINGS. AS TO THE GOVERNOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK. BUT I AM SURE THAT THE SENATOR HAS MET MANY FOLKS WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT ENERGY THAN SHE DOES -- MAYBE HE HAS FOREGOTTEN. AND CERTAINLY BY NOW HE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SHE WAS FOR LOTS OF EARMARKS, INCLUDING THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE AND A STUDY OF MATING HABITS OF CRABS BEFORE HE CHOSE HER. MAYBE HE FORGOT. I FIND THAT HAPPENS TO ME AS I GET OLDER
COULD IT BE THAT BOTH SHE AND THE SENATOR ARE FORGETFULL ABOUT THE FACTS. AS I GET OLDER, WITH MY 64TH BIRTHDAY COMING UP, I FIND THAT I FORGET THINGS. AS TO THE GOVERNOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK. BUT I AM SURE THAT THE SENATOR HAS MET MANY FOLKS WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT ENERGY THAN SHE DOES -- MAYBE HE HAS FOREGOTTEN. AND CERTAINLY BY NOW HE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SHE WAS FOR LOTS OF EARMARKS, INCLUDING THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE AND A STUDY OF MATING HABITS OF CRABS BEFORE HE CHOSE HER. MAYBE HE FORGOT. I FIND THAT HAPPENS TO ME AS I GET OLDER
COULD IT BE THAT BOTH SHE AND THE SENATOR ARE FORGETFULL ABOUT THE FACTS. AS I GET OLDER, WITH MY 64TH BIRTHDAY COMING UP, I FIND THAT I FORGET THINGS. AS TO THE GOVERNOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK. BUT I AM SURE THAT THE SENATOR HAS MET MANY FOLKS WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT ENERGY THAN SHE DOES -- MAYBE HE HAS FOREGOTTEN. AND CERTAINLY BY NOW HE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SHE WAS FOR LOTS OF EARMARKS, INCLUDING THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE AND A STUDY OF MATING HABITS OF CRABS BEFORE HE CHOSE HER. MAYBE HE FORGOT. I FIND THAT HAPPENS TO ME AS I GET OLDER
Yeah, so what if she cut AK earmarks in half. That's still $155 million in earmarks. She's only credible if she can cut that down to $0. Who does she think she is? John McCain?
Ethan - "Wow. Caught in a lie."
This is a little out of line... Charlie Gibson did NOT out and out lie on this topic, unlike his blatant lie about Sarah Palin's quote on the Iraq mission yesterday (calling it her "Exact Words").
Democrats have been busily pulling multiple web pages where THEY credit Sarah palin for killing 'the bridge to nowhere' (although the cached versions are still available). They should really get around to destroying evidence PRIOR to calling someone a liar.
As for Mr. Gibson... every does note he has to resort to "per capita" $$$ comparisons in one of the least populous states... in order not to have to mention the nearly 1 billion dollars in earmarks Barky Obama has requested in his short short time in the senate. (BTW 'per capita' figures is a variable trick that most media use or don't use... based on whichever way makes democrats look best). As if stuff costs less in Alaska because less people live there? LOL
Governors spend earmarks but SENATORS are the culprits who do the bidding of their "friends" and lobbyist by designating and voting on them.
I want Sen. Obama to put out an add that says:
John McCain I am calling you out. Look at my face. You are a liar. And every time your campaign puts out a dishonest ad with your name on it, your a liar. Every time Gov. Palin lies on your behalf, that makes YOU a liar. Every time you put out an ad that accuses me of promoting sex ed for children your a liar. So much for honor. I guess you would rather win a campaign than live up to your word.
BW - Obama can not put out an ad like that unless he is willing to admit that he is a liar. A liar about not promoting sex ed for children, a liar about his vote on bill protecting babies born alive after botched abortion, etc. Don't even get me started on his many earmarks...
Obama is very dishonest. His defense of his relationship with Terrorist Bill Ayers? " I was only 8 years old". Pathetic. How old was I when slavery happened? I was 10 when RFK was shot, does this mean I should embrace and seek the support of Sirhan Sirhan? Bill Ayers placed more bombs in the USA than McVeigh and Eric Rudolph. America is letting Obama get away with this.
>>> A liar about not promoting sex ed for children, a liar about his vote on bill protecting babies born alive after botched abortion, etc.
Obama believes in 4th trimester abortions. There's nothing wrong with that.
I wonder if BW has troubled himself to read the text (and changes) of that Sex Ed. bill before making his "lies" claim? I doubt it- otherwise he might know the truth.
On BAIPA:
As Obama likes to argue: it's not that he supports infanticide, it's just that he opposes legislation to stop it. (despite the US Congress passing the exact same bill unanimously)
His is a nuanced and thoughtful position.
The best part is when Obama claims for 4 years that the bills were different only for the record to surface and show that he himself voted to make them identical- and then killed the bill anyway.
GOV P, is a lying not ready for prime-time Mcsame or worse co-canidate for the -White-house. Any person can see that the lipstick self-professed pittbull-s-hitter, is just a distraction for news ratings & was a morale injection for a sad old dying questionable Maverick campaign that needed one badly. The Mcsame campaign again IS lying & striving to shame, America, if WE let them! STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH AND TRUE CONSIST-ANT --CHANGE---GO OBAMA 08!
GOV P, is a lying not ready for prime-time Mcsame or worse co-canidate for the -White-house. Any person can see that the lipstick self-professed pittbull-s-hitter, is just a distraction for news ratings & was a morale injection for a sad old dying questionable Maverick campaign that needed one badly. The Mcsame campaign again IS lying & striving to shame, America, if WE let them! STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH AND TRUE CONSIST-ANT --CHANGE---GO OBAMA 08!
GOV P, is a lying not ready for prime-time Mcsame or worse co-canidate for the -White-house. Any person can see that the lipstick self-professed pittbull-s-hitter, is just a distraction for news ratings & was a morale injection for a sad old dying questionable Maverick campaign that needed one badly. The Mcsame campaign again IS lying & striving to shame, America, if WE let them! STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH AND TRUE CONSIST-ANT --CHANGE---GO OBAMA 08!
McCain camp had turned Sarah Palin into his STEPFORD VP, the perfect VP. No wonder she repeats her speech over and over again. Her answers sounded so rehearsed like she was programmed on how to deliver them.
This woman is a real yes real reformer and is the real change in this election. Sorry but the sniping is just elevating her. People are sick of the media bias and anger over her pounding of obama's empty suit. Earmarks! have you seen any bills latley just look at the CHANGE democrats earmarks!
It is really a shame that the Obama supporters do not read the messiah's Congressional record. If you check his record he got an earmark for his wife's employer! If you believe he didn't hear the Rev. Wright, wasn't chummy with Ayres, his wife was misqouted on her "first time in her adult life" BS, he is going to cut your taxes, I have some land for sale: Take your choice - oceanfront property or a bridge! As one comment said, the ignorance of the American people amazes me.