John McCain running mate Sarah Palin misled Republican supporters

[kevinmc]

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Sarah Palin's record in office is facing increasing scrutiny after it emerged that she misled Republican supporters when she was presented to the nation as Senator John McCain's running mate.

The Governor of Alaska gave a misleading version of events over a controversial bridge project in her home state when she made her maiden speech as the presumptive nominee.

Mrs Palin told a cheering audience in Ohio that she had turned down an offer from the US Congress to build the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere", which would have connected Gravina Island with Ketchikan International, an airport in Alaska's southeast serving just 200,000 passengers a year. Mr McCain routinely cites the £100 million project as a symbol of wasteful central government spending.

As she introduced herself to Republicans and the American public on Friday, the virtually unknown Mrs Palin said: "I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress ... 'thanks, but no thanks' on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we'd build it ourselves."

However it emerged that in a 2006 interview with the Anchorage Daily News during her gubernatorial campaign, Mrs Palin had a different view of the bridge.

Asked "would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?" she replied: "Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now - while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/johnmccain/2656914/John-McCain-running-mate-Sarah-Palin-misled-Republican-supporters.html

---

The article also points out how she is a Washington "Earmark" hog.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Gee..difficult to imagine a repuke misleading the voters....

:evilgrin: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Rebel101]

75. What Part of State Funding Don't you Understand

"Asked "would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?" she replied: "Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now - while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."

STATE FUNDING-Not Federal Funding. I don't think she was referring to the Federal Congressional Delegation, but to her State Congressional Delegation.

This is going no where just like your Bridge to No Where.

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bjorn Against]

81. So are you telling us that Palin wanted to pay for the bridge to nowhere on her own?

She is saying that their congressional delegation is in a position to "assist" it is pretty clear she was not intending on paying for the whole bridge. Keep spinning.

[AlbertCat]

127. Yes! Hello!

So this "Rebel 101" guy is telling us she meant that the STATE LEGISLATURE was ready to HELP OUT in STATE FUNDING. Isn't that special?

She's either talking in circles and stating the obvious (as in "The blue sky is blue.") or she's talking about the federal legislature helping out Alaska with its infrastructure.

Neither looks good to me.

Besides, we know it's the latter.

[bulloney]

94. The word 'congress' refers to federal legislators.

People often misname their state legislators by referring to them as 'congress.'

[mmm413]

147. In what world?

[Zosima]

97. Alaska Has a "State Legislature"

check it out yourself http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/index.php

[proud2BlibKansan]

98. Is it rude not to welcome Palin defenders to DU?

[Cha]

105. I think it's de rigueur to serve them cold stone

PiZ ZA asap.

[Plucketeer]

123. I think

it depends on the nature of the "welcome". :puke:

[flvegan]

144. Aww, you disrupted poorly.

We'll miss you.

[Critters2]

171. They're dropping like flies!! It's a good thing we bury them so quickly.

The stench could get really nasty with so many of 'em piling up!!

[Critters2]

170. No, Congressional Delegation refers to those in Congress (you know--in Washington) representing

Alaska. That's what a congressional delegation is--the Senators and representatives from one state serving in Congress.

Btw, no one will answer my question...what do you get with those points from the McCain Campaign? Nifty stuff from Wal-Mart? Free meals at Cracker Barrel? What?

[hasssan1]

138. You are right , That Is Shocking !!!!!!!!!!!!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[AzDar]

2. Way to pick a real 'reformer' there, Five-Plane. First major judgement call of campaign:

EPIC FAIL.:rofl:

[ryanmuegge]

3. The British press. Big surprise. The American TV press will give us all of the dirt on her hair care

routine.

[mwooldri]

9. But this is the Torygraph here...

Whilst it's not a Murdoch publication, it is a conservative publication. They're very well connected with the Conservative Party.

Mark.

[Cha]

107. Good to hear they're not

john mccain's base.

[Cha]

106. US corporatemedia is one big collective

celebrity rag.

[redqueen]

150. Believe it or not USA Today does a good job on this one.

They don't say "lie" or even "misled" but they don't spin it the way all the other outlets seem to be doing.

[LynnTheDem]

4. WOW...a republican LIED. Oh gee I am so deeply

fucking shocked not.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

5. This is BIG--bigger than the Telegraph headline. She LIED in her first speech as VP candidate

She omitted the important fact that she "was for it before she was against it"

[Joanne98]

136. She lied in her second speech too. She said the same thing yesterday.

[orleans]

6. republikas don't care when they're being lied to. as long as it is

someone from their team doing the lying--it's all okey dokey by them.

[SammyWinstonJack]

89. So true!

[bulloney]

96. Look who she has to work with.

Crash McCain has been slinging so much bullshit during this campaign with his 'doubletalk express' that he can keep all of the U.S. farmland fertilized for a century.

[Name removed]

125. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Joey Liberal]

139. What kind of crap is that?

Go back to freeper-land where you belong if you are going to post crap like that.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. I HOPE EVERYONE RECOMMENDS THIS UP!! The Telegraph is a VERY Conservative paper.this has credibility

NO one could EVER accuse the Telegraph of being biased against McCain!!

[LonelyLRLiberal]

8. If we let McCain (with his handmaid Palin) get elected, we'll look like international fools. K&R

[Chasing Dreams]

12. My overseas friends starting saying that with the election of

Reagan, and continued to think we were foolish to elect Bushes not once, not twice, but three - count 'em - three times. Ughhhhhh...I can't wait for this nightmare to end.:banghead:

[AlbertCat]

133. we were foolish to elect Bushes not once, not twice, but three

Bush was never elected. Please do not forget this fact.

[mwb970]

18. Um, that train has sailed. /nt

[Preening Fop]

26. Visit a foreign land & find, We amurikans are Currently looked upon as imperial international Fools.

:nuke: :patriot: :nuke:

[fudge stripe cookays]

38. Too late!

Bush has been in office 8 years now.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

44. "Maiden speech"? "Handmaid"?

would those terms be used if this were a male we were talking about?

[emulatorloo]

78. Yes -- example: "Lord Byron makes his maiden speech in House of Lords"

http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1812/february_7_1812_46741.html

"Houston's Brad Colman Embarking on his Maiden Voyage"
http://www.catchfence.com/press/081308l.html

Google brings up many examples of this turn or phrase or related ones referring to men.

But if you don't like it, write to the British newspaper

[eowyn_of_rohan]

101. Forgot it was a British newspaper

I am well aware of maiden voyages etc but it is not an oft-used adjective in this country, in political matters anyway.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

134. Reference to "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

about religious fundies who take over the US government - the males become sterile, wives are blamed for lack of progeny, so the males take "handmaids" (involuntarily for the handmaids) supposedly per Biblical authority in order to have surrogate mothers.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

143. ok, ok - guess I'm just jumpy

nervous and upset over this creepy woman

[LonelyLRLiberal]

163. No offense taken. :)

[Bear down under]

175. A "maiden speech"

is the first speech given in the Parliament by a member, whether in the Lords or the Commons, irrespective of the gender of the speaker or how long he or she has been sitting. The term can also apply to the first speech given by a politician newly elevated to office (one might refer to, say, "X's maiden speech as Prime Minister") or to the first speech given by a newly proclaimed candidate for office -- which how the Telegraph uses it in this case.

The Oxford English Dictionary gives the primary meaning of maiden as "an unmarried woman", with the earliest citation dated AD 1000, but notes that it is "no longer in colloquial use". It says the meaning "a virgin" (earliest citation 1035) is "now rare" except when referring to the Virgin Mary. There is no mention of the currency or otherwise of either usage in American English.

There are some other, more limited usages: a maiden can be a strawberry plant that has not yet borne fruit; a grafted plant (especially a tree or rosebush) which has not yet been pruned or transplanted; a bell that has needed no tuning after being cast; a racehorse that has not yet won a prize, etc. A woman attendant on the Sovereign or member of the royal family is called a maiden of honour (or more usually a maid of honour). Nowadays she may or may not be married; originally unmarried ladies were preferred.

As an adjective, maiden is used by transferrence to indicate something new or untried or inexperienced or unfruitful, as in the case of a ship's maiden voyage, its first voyage; a maiden over in cricket, one in which no runs were scored; a maiden castle, one which has not been taken by storm -- or a maiden speech.

BTW, do Americans refer to a woman governor as a governess?

[psychmommy]

we already look like international fools.

bush 2 terms, katrina, iraq war, g-8 fiasco w/angela merkel, every time bush opens his mouth in public, rumsfeld, gonzalez, scooter libby-should i go on?

[George II]

85. That should read "CONTINUE to look like international fools"!

[dixiegrrrrl]

87. Yeah...sure don't want that to happen,

Bush has done such a great job to prevent it.

And McCain ticket already looks like National idiocracy.

[man4allcats]

100. After eight years of Bush,

we already look like international fools, but I agree there's no point in making it worse by electing McCain and his fantasy woman.

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. another kick

[democracy1st]

11. K & R

[adamuu]

13. breaking - McCain gets an out, a way to ditch Palin

before the convention

the real candidate to be named shortly.

[torbird]

92. Nah

It would only make the McCain camp look worse. There is still some room to grow, in that respect.

[Cha]

109. It alse exposes mccain for the incompetent boob he is

and is mccain one of those to never admit he made a mistake? Somehow I think he is.

[ksimons]

14. After Ohio Introduction, I wonder if Ohio voters will care they were lied to...

Subject: Urgent Memo from Minneapolis-St.Paul

Urgent Memo from the Republican National Convention
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

I just got into Minnesota after the rally in Dayton on Friday, and, let me tell you, I'm so impressed by Gov. Sarah Palin.

I've heard from Ohioans everywhere in the last 24 hours, Republicans and Democrats alike, praising John McCain's new running mate. She's a tough, principled leader with an amazing personal and political story, and she has some of the highest approval ratings of any elected leader in the nation right now. Help me get Sarah Palin elected as our next vice president! As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. And no Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.

It all comes down to our 20 electoral votes, my friends. What can you do to help?

Make a generous, secure contribution of $25, $50, $75 or $100 or more today to ensure we have the resources to deliver this state for the McCain-Palin team!

Our national convention is about to get underway, and everywhere I go out here in St. Paul people are telling me it's all up to Ohio.

Please contribute today. We MUST have the resources to make our state competitive. The future depends on it. I'm counting on you.

Sincerely,

Kevin DeWine
Deputy Chairman

[johnnydrama]

15. i think

The order of vetting her for VP goes something like

1. Bloggers and internet boards
2. Obama
3. McCain

[Window]

16. K/R.

:kick:

[Solly Mack]

17. See? She does too have experience! In lying.

[Doug.Goodall]

30. She has all the experience necessary to be the Republican VP

She can lie
She can steal taxpayer dollars for worthless construction contracts
She gets people from her own party thrown out of office

When McCain picked her, he hit the Trifecta!

[Solly Mack]

31. Yep...the perfect republican

[Cha]

111. Vetting? They don't need no stink-ing vetting..all they

needed to do was to get Obama's awesome acceptance speech off the n00ze cycle before he went into the outter stratesphere.

[JohnnyRingo]

19. She's looking more & more like the Harriet Miers candidate

Do these republicans even ask anything more than their positions on abortion?

K&R

[jmowreader]

22. They ask them about their position on church-state separation

If they're against it, they're in like Flynn.

[Waiting For Everyman]

20. Ya mean... Gidget lied???

No way! :sarcasm:

(Get ready for it... she lied about "troopergate" and "grandmagate" too, and that's in a very brief career.) Wow, what a reformer! But then, maybe in her doubletalk dictionary the word "reform" means to lie. So it's all good, then. No problem.

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. MORE RECOMMENDS FOLKS??? This story needs to go viral NOW!!

[Dinger]

27. Done, But Please Permit An Embarrassing Question

What is it to "go viral"?

[Douglas Carpenter]

33. oh its just one of those silly phrases I picked up lately ...

basically meaning that the story spreads rapidly across the Internet to such an extent that it infiltrates into the mainstream media

[Historic NY]

23. while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."

In other words a Democratically controlled Congress would view this project as being fiscally irresponsible.

[qanda]

24. It's something how I heard about on DU on Friday

But Palin was still able to repeat her false claims in another speech I listened to on Saturday because the "media" hadn't called her on this yet-- they need to be fired!!!!!!!!! All of them are utterly useless.

[Gabi Hayes]

161. no mention of it on This Week, MTP (didn't see it all, but none when I watched), FTN

can they continue to ignore it?

Cokie mentioned the trooper firing, but ONLY that it was justified, IF the stories about the trooper (she mentioned the tasing, so she knows the details, but chose to reveal ONLY the damaging ones re: the trooper, and NOT ONE WORD about Palin's role....not one)

[NewJeffCT]

25. It's made US news sources as well - see here

Unfortunately, this only got a few recommends when I posted it the other day.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6839084&mesg_id=6839084

[Cha]

113. That's too bad but we got a lot of palin's record in Alaska

Rec'd last night and it should be all over the Greatest.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rdublue]

32. Now she has foreign experience

[Cha]

114. Yeah, that and her husband's workin' for Foreign

OIL.

[NewJeffCT]

34. This story also made my local paper - the Hartford Courant

who picked it up from the Washington Post.

[medeak]

35. made msn this am n/t

[Jim Lane]

36. We don't need the credibility of a UK publication -- the Anchorage paper had it

In its story about Palin's Ohio campaign appearance, the Anchorage Daily News noted her current denunciation of the bridge. It went on to report:

But Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.

The Alaska governor campaigned in 2006 on a build-the-bridge platform, telling Ketchikan residents she felt their pain when politicians called them "nowhere." They're still feeling pain today in Ketchikan, over Palin's subsequent decision to use the bridge funds for other projects -- and over the timing of her announcement, which they say came in a pre-dawn press release that seemed aimed at national news deadlines. (from )(emphasis added)

By the way, her bridge flip-flop has been in for some time. I'm one of the people who's been editing that article, along with some people making suspiciously biased edits. The New York Times reported that, on the day McCain announced his pick, "there were 2.4 million page views for Gov. Palin’s Wikipedia article." (See .) In other words, we're no longer bound by what the corporate media decide.

[Cha]

115. Yes, and that's good but now it's gone international

.."Foreign experience" as it were.

[kmac3]

37. Am I surprised . . . . fits the Republican Agenda

Palin proved she was right for the job . . .
first speech, immediate lie, good performer as a Flip/Flopper.

[MassLiberal]

39. K&R

[peacetalksforall]

40. LOYALTY....REWARD - BETRAYAL,,,.REVENGE

Shared characteristic of Bush and Cheney and a mark of the entire Party.

If this job is a reward, plus all the benefits they expect to reap from her selection, they will just ignore while fixing her mistakes.

The bridge contradiction can be used by Dems, but R's won't care.

Her very moving mouth will get her in trouble again, because as smart as she appears to be, she is going to place herself in trouble again by blabbering. So gather what you can as we might not see her that much should they win. Cheney and his bosses will probably keep Cheney there to run the PNAC agenda.

Instead of one puppet, there will be two puppets. But, McCain will not want to be at the puppet end the strings. Trouble ahead.

The idea is not to let them win it or steal it.

[Willo]

41. She was vetted just fine

she has the right kind of stink they find attractive.

I'm so sick of these people.

[zbdent]

99. Joe Republican, eyes watering, wheezing, groping for oxygen, tells us:

"Nope, her shit doesn't stink ..."

[NoodleyAppendage]

42. If she will LIE about this, then is it really a stretch to assume she would LIE about the baby?

So, she lies about a bridge project very convincingly and easily, and yet many on DU refuse to acknowledge the possiblity that she may be lying about her(?) last kid. WTF?

J

[graywarrior]

43. Careful...somehow these things work FOR republicans

Only dems suffer consequences for these types of actions.

[Cha]

116. We'll see...it's hitting people's

bank accounts now.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

145. They make sure of it at election time

whether they REALLY "work" for them or not.

[bronxiteforever]

45. Kick & R.

[marshall]

46. Hopefully this will get more play in the US

This is the kind of news that needs to get out there.

[DogPoundPup]

47. Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans

Source: Reuters

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - It garnered big applause in her first speech as Republican John McCain's vice presidential pick, but Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's assertion that she rejected Congressional funds for the so-called "bridge to nowhere" has upset many Alaskans.

During her first speech after being named as McCain's surprise pick as a running mate, Palin said she had told Congress "'thanks but no thanks' on that bridge to nowhere."

In the city Ketchikan, the planned site of the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere," political leaders of both parties said the claim was false and a betrayal of their community, because she had supported the bridge and the earmark for it secured by Alaska's Congressional delegation during her run for governor.

The bridge, a span from the city to Gravina Island, home to only a few dozen people, secured a $223 million earmark in 2005. The pricey designation raised a furor and critics, including McCain, used the bridge as an example of wasteful federal spending on politicians' pet projects.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN3125537020080901?rpc=401&

[Alexander]

48. All this bad stuff coming out about Palin right off the bat...

At this rate, I wonder if she'll make it through the convention.

[Kittycat]

49. But removing her would be political suicide at this point.

Clearly defines McCain's poor judgment. Someone would have to go down with her, for certain.

[Fridays Child]

53. I'm just blown away by the incredible stupidity of this decision.

It should serve as a window, for American voters, into McCain's diminished cognitive functioning. His age really is an issue, and the Palin pick confirms it.

[tanyev]

73. Recklessness.

Stupidity and recklessness.

[lisainmilo]

79. Maybe he just wanted to share the bus with her??? n/t

[Blue State Bandit]

153. We all know why he picked her...

Not her experience.
Not her judgement.
Not her political connections.

He admires her http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RN5xbWtNSU">Assets!

Note: Notice the ring...

[adamuu]

54. the longer she stays, the better for us

all we have to do is let her talk.
anything she says is bad for her and good for us, even if it takes MSM a few days to pick it up.
its wild. its surreal.

[Douglas Carpenter]

51. I think many in the msm may hesitate to attack Sarah Palin for fear of sound elitist or sexist

I some ways she is almost too easy of a target.

[Douglas Carpenter]

52. ANOTHER POST THAT NEEDS LOTS AND LOTS OF RECOMMENDS..THIS STORY NEEDS TO GET OUT EVERYWHERE

[mwb970]

66. The trouble is, there's very little good to say about Gidget.

The MSM is going to have to talk about her, but what can they say?

She knows nothing about any of the important issues, has almost no relevant experience, has extreme views on everything, and is currently under investigation for ethics violations. She is a serial liar, fibbing about the "bridge to nowhere" in her very first national appearance. She was mayor of a small fishing village, which she saddled with a $20M debt. What's to love?

On the upside, she was in the PTA and played "point guard" in high school hockey. She was a sports reporter. She's "cute" and cuddly.

This is simply laughable. What a pathetic choice. What a pathetic "man" McCain is turning out to be.

[qwlauren35]

162. The handcuffs won't stay on for long.

There's just too much dirt for the MSM to keep a lid on. After a while, the editorial cartoonists will get started, and then it will snowball.

Palin, the surprise pick, is selling media time right now. But next week's spin will probably be VERY different.

We just have to stay focused on making sure that OUR candidate continues to shine.

[Fearless]

55. What convention?

:rofl:

[ryanmuegge]

62. Harriet Miers.

It's a fakeout to soften people up for Romney, Lieberman, Hutchinson or Ridge. They'll be relieved that he actually appointed somebody competent that they'll be cool with the pro-choice shit if they promise to appoint Nazi judges. I can't imagine these two being able to sustain these repeated beatings.

Either that or this is the most insanely short-sighted and bizarre choice ever. She is going to be eaten alive, not in the debates by Biden or any of that stuff, but by the press. Did they think they had the press that far into their pockets?

[ColonelTom]

82. It's not a fakeout. McCain's judgment is that impulsive and bad.

If they end up dumping Palin and selecting someone else, the central story is "Why did McCain choose a VP nominee he had only met once and never vetted?" It shows a colossal lack of judgment, willingness to pander for political gain, and a rash, impulsive streak in making enormously important decisions.

She'll be on the ticket on Election Day, come hell or high water (perhaps I shouldn't use that phrase today - oh well). It's up to the Obama/Biden campaign to make her presence on the ticket work in their, and our, favor.

[GinaMaria]

151. Just had the same thought

Could this be a rope a dope? Similar pattern ... Cons calling Libs sexist etc. This was too easy in some ways. Although, there is no getting around the bad judgment issue... could go either way.

[Ashy Larry]

50. When she heard "bridge to nowhere",

she said, "No thanks, we don't need a bridge here in Wasilla."
:P

[renegade000]

56. relevant blog:

for alaskan politics: http://mudflats.wordpress.com/
definitely some recent entries on this issue and other "Sarah Palin for VP...WTF?" posts.

[Buns_of_Fire]

67. HIGHLY recommended!

And it has a nice picture (suitable for framing) of Beautiful Downtown Wasilla -- or "The Northern White House," as it could conceivably wind up being called. (Cicely, Alaska, it ain't, for us "Northern Exposure" fans.)

Her choice as McPOW's Trophy VEEP isn't just pandering to Hillary voters and evangelicals -- it's a "Hail Mary" pass of biblical proportions.

[barbtries]

68. a great blog

thanks for the link, it's a keeper.

[Cha]

120. Excellent link, thank

you, renegade! As Will Pitt(truthout) said..

"By choosing Palin to be his running mate, McCain stapled his entire campaign to a woman whose shiny right-wing Christian credentials cannot obscure the fact that she has slightly less foreign policy or executive experience than a ham sandwich in the pantry of Air Force One." Will Pitt

http://www.truthout.org/article/the-hollow-man

[GoddessOfGuinness]

57. I wonder if it's affected her popularity rating...

[roguevalley]

58. The trooper thing dropped her to 69%. twenty point drop. (edit)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

59. Very interesting...

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few days.

[Chasing Dreams]

60. I'm glad to see the real Palin news begin to get out there, but until and unless the

networks and cable news push these stories McPain will skate by. In case you haven't noticed, most undecideds rarely read or otherwise try to get informed. Ughhh.

:banghead:

[ryanmuegge]

61. Hey, but did ya know she has a kid with Down Syndrome?!

Of course that means she's automatically qualified to be Vice President!

[beac]

76. And John McCain was a POW....

or at least that's the rumor.....

[Name removed]

122. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BumRushDaShow]

69. The irony is

that only the print media is going after this (including the online versions of their publications). The RW-controlled M$M TV/radio outlets have unanimously (outside of an Olbermann, Maddow, Cafferty, etc) pushed the lunatic fringe's talking points, completely jettisoning their own meager credibility by not questioning how proximity of Alaska to Russia means foreign experience and how PTA membership qualifies as some nonsensical term called "executive experience".

Wingnuts thought they had it made hurling a nasty dig at Dems by trying to compare a magna cum laude Harvard Law graduate with a 2-bit podunk journalism major, sportscaster, and faux "beauty queen", but all they did was make it worse for themselves. Just when I thought they had hit a low, they proceeded to destroy their brand even more by continuing to pander to their fringe. :eyes:

I suppose they do this because just like the avg. Dems, the avg. repukes are not generally vocal or politically astute, and the most vocal fighters of either party are on the extreme ends. The repukes essentially ceded their party to those who yelled the loudest.

[depakid]

63. Her first speech on the national scene and already she's told a blatant lie

that can easily be shown on the record.

Impressive, even for a Republican.

[redqueen]

132. It can be shown she's a liar... but Reuters won't do it. Notice the framing. (nt)

[Douglas Carpenter]

64. MORE RECOMMENDS FOLKS??? This story needs to go viral NOW!!

[meowomon]

65. K&R

[Doug.Goodall]

70. The people of Alaska should call for Palin to resign when she runs for Vice President

That would give them an opportunity to not reelect her and be done with another piece of Republican trash.

[Name removed]

71. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[robcon]

72. Upsetting "many Alaskans" is not the issue.

The "Bridge to Nowhere" was enormously unpopular in the other 49 states.

[Name removed]

121. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redqueen]

131. They had to frame it nicely for her. Notice how they never inform readers it was a lie. (nt)

[kmac3]

74. K & R Let's keep this one active . . . .

Palin is so naive to the political jungle, she will be eaten alive. Totally agog with this nomination by McCain, thinking "Wow, look at me" she will hang herself.

[Cha]

117. Good! September 1,

2008! Thanks DPP!

[redqueen]

130. Reuters frames it as a disagreement. Never shows the quote from the interview.

Typical. I hope more people start noticing this crap.

[benld74]

80. And it takes a NON USA paper to pick up on it,,,

As soon as she said it I knew she was lying. Congress pulled the funds, she had othing to do with it. Took long enough

[benld74]

83. Flash! Repub voters NEVER know they are being mislead BAAAAAAAAA!

[psychmommy]

84. i love this chick

the repubs are just vetting her now? could this get any damn better? alaska is a beautiful state. it's a ashame they continue to vote repub's in office to destroy it. thanks alaska for mrs palin, she is the gift that keeps on giving.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

86. K&R SHE BLATANTLY LIED!!!!!!!!!

[Zambero]

88. The "Straight Talk Express" just drove off the Bridge to Nowhere

I just watched a Frank Luntz focus group where a group of Minnesota citizens responded favorably to the revelation that Palin was opposed to earmarks, most notably Ted Stevens' notorious bridge project. This is more than a flip-flop -- it's bold faced lie that warrants a lot of attention.

[L. Coyote]

110. The "Straight Talk Express" just turned onto the Bridge to Nowhere

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[NeoConsSuck]

90. It says a lot about Americans

the republicans in the last eight years have taken this country into not one, but *two* recessions. They've outed CIA agents, their hand picked Justice Dept was corrupt, picking justices based on politcal affiliation. They've taken a budget surplus and turned it into a huge deficit. We've lost respect thoughout the world. The rich keep getting richer, while the middle class sees their wages shrink more and more after inflation is factored in.

Katrina, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Gonzalez, Powell and the list goes on.

Yet this race is close?? Perhaps Americans haven't suffered enough in the past eight years. In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

146. yeah, keep drinking the "close election" koolaid

we haven't had a democracy in 8 years.

[lonestarnot]

91. bwwwwwaaaaaa ah ha ha ha ha ha ha OMG ROFLMAO!

Goooooood Morning DU :rofl:

[CANDO]

93. "Misled" my ass! She frickin' LIED!

Putting it more poignantly, she lied to the American people in her very first public comments upon being chosen as a VP running mate.

[quidam56]

95. Plain Jane

She's so ditsy she should be blonde .

www.caringbridge.org/visit/timmullins

[LindyHope]

102. I was for the Bridge to Nowhere .........

I was for the Bridge to Nowhere before I realized I already was Nowhere, am Nowhere, and am not going Nowhere no how.

[WyldRogue]

103. Sad but true...

McGramps and Palin will indeed win these elections because apparently, PLENTY of people thinks she is capable of running the US because she looks good..... can you believe it???

Get ready for 4 more years of Rethuglican law as the American people are too damn stupid to see thru this ruse the Rethuglicans are perpetrating.

We deserve the problems we create when we vote on LOOKS and not POLICIES!

[ima_sinnic]

104. another kick & a recommend! This woman is unbelievable!

She is the essence of tackiness. She is a juvenile prom queen whose overriding concern is the impression she is making, at all times. She is nothing but fluff and clichés. She is so incredibly repulsive in her narcissism, vacuousness, and stupidity, she makes Paris Hilton look like a genius and a St. Theresa. Where are her papers on the Constitution, on law and foreign affairs? I call her the housewife from Alaska--not that I don't love and respect housewives! But they are hardly vice presidential material.

I think we should really play up the fact that she is nothing but a bimbo--and a corrupt, sleazy, manipulating and easily manipulated bimbo at that. She stands for nothing whatsoever.

[BobHope123]

119. Her husband visited Gitmo...

and was part of a team that tortured detainees!

[L. Coyote]

108. Palin: "attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects"

From a story at WA Post that is no longer available???? How soft was that opposition?

It was more like, "Aww foooey, we need to abandon this pork barrel because it won't happen anyway now." Or, in Palin's words:

"Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened," she said.

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/davidpostman/2007/09/alaska_governor_is_more_than_just_new_face_of_gop.html

[sasori]

112. misled? yeah, right. she just lied.

"Earmark" hog? what the hell is that? :shrug:

[Name removed]

118. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[fascisthunter]

124. She's already a Proven Liar.... oooops

[redqueen]

126. I was worried this might not be covered here, but

Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans
Reuters - 10 hours ago
Sarah Palin's assertion that she rejected Congressional funds for the so-called "bridge to nowhere" has upset many Alaskans. During her first speech after ...

Palin for ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ before she was against it Boston Herald

Palin backed 'bridge to nowhere' in 2006 USA Today

Palin Backed Bridge To Nowhere CBS News



Check the different AP wording...

Critics: Palin used 'Bridge to Nowhere' for gain
The Associated Press - 21 hours ago



... and last and least.

'Special Report' Panel on Brand New Republican Ticket
FOXNews - 12 hours ago

She killed the bridge to nowhere. Because the oil revenues were high, she return add great tax rebate to the voters of Alaska. And she slashed the budget as ...

[Name removed]

129. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redqueen]

135. Reuters frames it as a disagreement and never shows that it's a lie.

Boston Herald frames it as simply a reversal of position in the headline... and also frames it as just a disagreement on page 1... then halfway down page 2:

In September, 2006, Palin showed up in Ketchikan on her gubernatorial campaign and said the bridge was essential for the town’s prosperity.

She said she could feel the town’s pain at being derided as a "nowhere" by prominent politicians, noting that her home town, Wasilla, had recently been insulted by the state Senate president, Ben Stevens.

"OK, you’ve got valley trash standing here in the middle of nowhere," Palin said, according to an account in the Ketchikan Daily News. "I think we’re going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project."

Most of page 1, in addition to not mentioning the fact that it was a lie, is dedicated to talking about her experience. And typically, most of the information is presented in the most flattering light possible.



AOL Today is the best I've read so far! Pretty much the only one worth reading...
Palin backed 'bridge to nowhere' in 2006
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-31-palin-bridge_N.htm

(snip)

And as mayor of the small town of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002, Palin also hired a Washington lobbying firm that helped secure $8 million in congressionally directed spending projects, known as earmarks, according to public spending records compiled by the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste and lobbying documents.

(snip)

Asked why she supported the bridge, Palin's communications director Bill McAlister said, "It was never at the top of her priority list, and in fact the project isn't necessarily dead … there's still the potential for improved ferry service or even a bridge of a less costly design."

(snip)

She changed her mind, he said, when "she saw that Alaska was being perceived as taking from the country and not giving, and that impression bothered her and she wants to change it. … I think that Sarah Palin is someone who has the courage to reevaluate situations as they developed."

(snip)

"Yes, the pork barrel project, a $233 million bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it," McCain said. "She, as governor, stood up and said, we don't need it, and if we need it, we'll pay for it ourselves. Now, that's guts. I saw that, and I said, this, this is what we need in Washington."

(more)

[redqueen]

140. Wow! The AP is shameless! Ever-so-kindly claims it's just a flip-flop, not a lie.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Sarah Palin was for the so-called infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" before she was against it, a change of position the GOP vice presidential running mate conveniently ignored Saturday when she bragged about telling Congress "thanks but no thanks" to the pork barrel project.

(snip)

Political flip-flops are a mainstay of presidential politics. One of the most famous examples is John Kerry's explanation for opposing and then favoring an $87 billion Iraq funding bill during the 2004 presidential campaign. "I actually did vote for the $87 billion," he said, "before I voted against it."

(snip)

McAllister, who covered the 2006 campagin as a TV reporter, said Palin was lukewarm about the bridge as a candidate and cooled on it as governor.

"Of course when you become governor things come into much sharper focus than when you are a candidate," he said. "Then she is forced to pay very close attention to the fiscal realities of it."



Her changing her mind isn't the issue... it's her LYING about it.

:banghead:

[L. Coyote]

149. This snow job is the tip of the" Palin Deception" iceberg.

The lie is about a political deception from the onset, likely part of a far grander deception.
I'll stick to this one. One the bridge to nowhere was definitively going nowhere, it became
part of the larger plan to dress up a Big Oil zealot in the reformer dress. This LIE begins
when Palin used the faltering project to enhance the image needed to remain in control of
Alaska and the big pipeline deal!!

[L. Coyote]

128. Quick, send a bunch of trolls to besmear the new DU thread. LOL

Bwwaaaaaa! Someone doesn't like this talking point. LOL

On edit: DON'T FEED THE TROLLS

[cmac]

137. trolls

please hit the alrt button on disgusting trolls, thanks. the admins of this site should delete the disgusting posts and the poster.

[L. Coyote]

141. Congrats on your 1st DU post.

Needless to say, that's an ongoing activity.
Alerts sent, and the tombstones are carved.

[redqueen]

142. Yes... just alert. (nt)

[L. Coyote]

152. Only insiders understand all the "name removed" posts w/o a troll mention.

Congrats on how your thread has added to the tombstones!
Somewhere herein we hit a very delicate nerve at freeper central. :rofl:

[redqueen]

155. THIS is what the TMZ crap is intended to distract us from.

This is huge. :)

[L. Coyote]

166. The morans must think we are morons! Very obvious where they point, isn't it.

They sign up here, do their besmearments, then want to say, "Look what arsehats the liberals are."

It is a double-edged tactic, denigrating the blog and leading people off in the wrong direction. Troll is too nice a term.

[GinaMaria]

148. More like

Sarah Palin's record in office is facing increasing scrutiny after it emerged that she has an unwed pregnant teenage daughter!

[nam78_two]

154. Recd.nt

[DiehardLiberal]

156. New Bumper Sticker

John McCain = POrW
Prisoner of Right Wing

oops- wrong thread - supposed to be under Kerry video, sorry!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

157. Keeping this kicked and recommended...

This is the sort of issue that is most important in this campaign.

[hay rick]

158. what she said, what she meant

link to Anchorage Daily News article:http://community.adn.com/adn/node/130090

quote from that article:

5. Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?
Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now - while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.

additional quote from the UK article:

When Congressional funding was withdrawn because of an uproar in Washington about the expense of the project, she cancelled it, but in a regretful tone.

"Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island."

Pretty clear: she was for the bridge before she was against it.

When, if ever, will the American media pick up on Sarah and her smoking guns?

[EndElectoral]

159. If she was against the "Bridge to Nowhere", did she give that money back to the taxpayers?

[redqueen]

160. You asked that question as a "rhetorical excercise" right?

Like her question about censorship?

Cause no, she didn't. It's being spent on other projects.

[Douglas Carpenter]

164. another kick

[RedLetterRev]

165. K&R

Ailin' and Failin' can't lie and cheat their way into the Oval. Not this time.

Gee, at all the granite pizzas. Quite a party goin' on up in here :D Toldja the entire repuke party was shitting up its back. :rofl:

[Douglas Carpenter]

167. another kick

[Douglas Carpenter]

168. kick

[Major Hogwash]

169. They tried to get that bridge through earmarks!!! Is this McCain's "achilles heel"?

Ooops.

LoL

[L. Coyote]

172. "It’s The Corruption, Stupid" = Abramoff, McCain, Palin & the GOP

Great thread on dKos covers this in detail. Discussion & links:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6870492

[lumpy]

173. The Telegraph doesn't pull any punches does it? Their

follow up videos and articles don't treat her very kindly. I must say it did me good to read their take on Palin, same as mine.

[redqueen]

176. Yeah? I didn't read it...

assuming it'd be decent. I skipped right to reading the US news about it so I could admire the spin.

:kick:

[Name removed]

174. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.