CNN - Bulls*&t Article Blaming Biden and Obama For The Bridge To Nowhere

[Median Democrat]

Talk about a bullshit article that totally misleads regarding the problem of the Bridge to Nowhere. This was not an Obama or Biden earmark. McCain did not vote against the bill. Neither Obama or Biden are lieing that they were against the Bridge to Nowhere, as Palin routinely does. There goes the media caving to the McCain campaign again.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/23/biden.earmarks/index.html

Biden, Obama helped keep 'Bridge to Nowhere' alive

/snip

Both Biden and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama voted to kill a Senate amendment that would have diverted federal funding for the bridge to repair a Louisiana span badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina, Senate records show.

And both voted for the final transportation bill that included the $223 million earmark for the Alaska project.

An amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, would have stripped the money appropriated to connect the Alaskan coastal city of Ketchikan to its airport on sparsely populated Gravina Island and diverted the money to Louisiana.

/snip

[NJmaverick]

1. CNN should be ashamed of themselves

providing free web space for the mclying/Falin campaign. Before posting bull shit like this, they should have at least done the reporter thing and ask the Obama/Biden people for comment.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. I was just reading that.

They don't cite the amendment they claim was "specifically" about the bridge.

[Fired Up Democrat]

3. who cares if they voted for it...

they aren't trying to campaign on something that they were in favor of initially then lied about it during a convention speech...ala sara palin.

[RedEarth]

4. But Sarah Palin said, "thanks but no thanks"

[Median Democrat]

6. This Is Just A Hit Piece - When Obama/Biden Start Saying Thanks, But No Thanks

As their qualification for the VP slot, then it is relevant. However, the only reason why it is relevant, is due to Palin's make believe opposition to the bridge.

[RedEarth]

12. I was just being sarcastic

[nyhuskyfan]

5. I also think...

A million for an opera house and a children's museum isn't exactly on the same level of waste as $223 million for the infamous bridge. Everyone can enjoy those services, not just 50 people on an island.

It's intellectually dishonest to put those items on the same level.

[Median Democrat]

7. Also, McCain Should Be Included Since He Was MIA

The guys has the worst attendance record over the past two years, and he gets a free pass for missing numerous votes on issues relevant to the campaign.

[karynnj]

8. This is disingenuous

Coburn has submitted amendments like this. In 2007, it was to have health insurance for all kids first before ANY earmarks are passed. The problem is that NONE of these were serious amendments where he actually wrote legislation for either what he would do on Katrina or on healthcare. The sole motive is to grandstand and to have an embarrassing vote. The consequence of passing it is it would derail the budget.

So, yest that bill exists.

[BridgeTheGap]

9. Roll Call vote on the Coburn amendment link

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00262

[BridgeTheGap]

11. Here's the amendment (big question - what was the level of awarenes on this bridge project ?)

SA 2165. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3058, making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and independent agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:


At the appropriate place, add the following: Section 144(g)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``for the construction of a bridge joining the Island of Gravina to the community of Ketchikan in Alaska'' and inserting ``for the reconstruction of the Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans, Louisiana, and Slidell, Louisiana'';

(2) by striking subparagraph (B); and

(3) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B).

(b) Item number 14 of the table contained in section 1302 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Public Law 109-59; 119 Stat. 1144) is amended--

(1) by striking ``AK'' and inserting ``LA''; and

(2) by striking ``Planning, design, and construction of Knik Arm Bridge'' and inserting ``Reconstruction of Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana''.

(c) The table contained in section 1702 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Public Law 109-59; 119 Stat. 1144) is amended--

(1) in item number 406--

(A) by striking ``AK'' and inserting ``LA''; and

(B) by striking ``Planning, design, and construction of a bridge joining the Island of Gravina to the Community of Ketchikan'' and inserting ``Reconstruction of Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana'';

(2) in item number 2465--

(A) by striking ``AK'' and inserting ``LA''; and

(B) by striking ``Planning, design, and construction of Knik Arm Bridge'' and inserting ``Reconstruction of Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana'';

(3) in item number 3323--

(A) by striking ``AK'' and inserting ``LA''; and

(B) by striking ``Earthwork and roadway construction Gravina Access Project'' and inserting ``Reconstruction of Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana''; and

(4) in item number 3677--

(A) by striking ``AK'' and inserting ``LA''; and

(B) by striking ``Planning, design, and construction of Knik Arm Bridge'' and inserting ``Reconstruction of Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana''.

(d) Item number 2 of the table contained in section 1934 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Public Law 109-59; 119 Stat. 1144) is amended--

(1) by striking ``AK'' and inserting ``LA''; and

(2) by striking ``Improvements to the Knik Arm Bridge'' and inserting ``Reconstruction of Twin Spans Bridge connecting New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana''.

(e) Sections 1949, 4410, and 4411 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Public Law 109-59; 119 Stat. 1144) are repealed.

(f) No funds made available under this Act shall be used to plan, design, or construct, in the State of Alaska--

(1) the Knik Arm Bridge; or

(2) a bridge joining the Island of Gravina to the community of Ketchikan.

(g) Nothing in this section or an amendment made by this section affects the allocation of funds to any State other than the States of Alaska and Louisiana.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r109:1:./temp/~r109j6AiwP:e178233:

[leftynyc]

10. Unless they lied about this

I don't see it as an issue. Sarah the Coward has lied dozens of times about this one thing.

[BridgeTheGap]

13. That's exactly the point & WHY is CNN making a big deal out of the vote?

I suspect that most members of the Senate were not versed on the "bridge to nowhere," when this vote happened.