The wires are picking up the Bridge to Nowhere story today... what are most of these threads about?

[redqueen]

USA Today's peice on it is the best I've read so far.

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)





Most of the US outlets are spinning it like crazy, but this one is surprisingly straightforward and informative.



The Guardian actually said she MISLED voters... the AP is the worst (besides FOX of course).

[redqueen]

1. Seriously that article is packed with info...

"must read" stuff.

[AZBlue]

2. THIS is what's most important! Let's focus people!!

I thought the baby thing was an issue when it looked like she was claiming her grandson as her son - that would have been a bit beyond the pale for a VP candidate. But a pregnant teenager in a pro-life family? Hardly shocking.

[redqueen]

5. Exactly... her daughter's situation has nothing to do with anything.

[skooooo]

3. It's funny how anymore blogs push stories into MSM....

Just a few years ago, I didn't feel the blogs had much credibility over MSM. My opinion has changed. Internet bloggers are the real journalists anymore.

[redqueen]

8. They force the liars to cover stories they would have gotten away with just ignoring before.

It's great... but we need LOTS more of it.

[azmouse]

4. kick

[Kdillard]

6. Kick this woman is being outed as a liar on so many fronts.

[Starry Messenger]

7. kick for defcon madness

[Gabi Hayes]

9. daily howler correctly explains the bridge story. it was OVER before she

became governor:

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh090108.shtml

From that statement, citizens get the idea that Palin high-mindedly “told Congress” to pull the plug on that much-derided bridge project—to stop wasting all that tax-payer money. That isn’T close to what actually happened. But your career liberal players are simply too dumb—too undisciplined—to explain it. And so far, the mainstream press hasn’t done better.

Duh. Palin was elected governor in November 2006. One year earlier, in November 2005, the “bridge to nowhere” earmark ceased to exist. The New York Times ran a news report by Carl Hulse under the headline, “Two 'Bridges to Nowhere' Tumble Down in Congress.” (There had actually been two “bridges to nowhere,” though one had gotten the bulk of the mocking publicity).........

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/politics/17spend.html

Palin had nothing to do with this act by the Congress, which occurred thirteen months before she took office. (Palin was elected in November 2006, took office the following month.) But this congressional action, in November 2005, cancelled the original earmark, which had directed the state of Alaska to use those particular federal funds to build that particular bridge. Under the terms of this new act, the state would still receive the funds—but the state could now use the money as it pleased. It could use the money to build the bridges. Or it could spend it on something else.

Again, this all happened thirteen months before Palin became governor. And let’s make it very, very clear: Congress stopped playing a role in this matter that day, in November 2005. From that point on, no one had to “tell Congress” anything about the Bridge to Nowhere, because Congress had removed itself from decision-making about the project. Congress had stopped directing how those funds should be used. In November 2005.

[redqueen]

11. More to the point though, she was for it. She supported it in her campaign.

Then she turned around and lied to everyone about that on Friday.

[cameozalaznick]

15. Yesterday, I told congress

to ban asbestos in new buildings construction.

Anoyone else want to play?

[cameozalaznick]

16. Last year, I told congress...

to ban asbestos in new building construction.

Anyone else want to play?

[FrenchieCat]

10. I'm down for that!

[gemlake]

12. I wonder if she will take it out of her stump speech. nt

[azmouse]

13. kick

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. Palin = Bitch to Nowhere

Palin = Bitch to Nowhere

I hesitated to post that, because the word bitch is used so casually and hatefully by ignorant people, but sometimes the term applies.