
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2008
Setting The Record: Palin's Earmarks
CBS Evening News: Reality Checking The Alaska Governor's "Bridge To Nowhere" Claims
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Play CBS Video Video Palin's Bridge Claim Sinks Sarah Palin has come under fire by claiming that she turned down federal earmark spending for the "bridge to nowhere" in her native Alaska. But, as Wyatt Andrews reports, Palin did accept the funds.
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Timeline Palin's Path A look at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's life and career
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Photo Essay Sarah Palin Alaska's youngest and first female governor tabbed to be McCain's running mate.
"I told Congress 'thanks but no thanks,' to that bridge to nowhere," Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has said over and over on the campaign trail, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.
Palin just won't let it go. But the truth is the governor never rebuffed Congress. Here are the facts.
After a year of supporting the proposed bridge, near Ketchikan, Palin pulled state funds from the project, which killed the bridge for good, but she never said "no thanks" to the Federal funds promised by Congress - $233 million.
In fact, here's the list of how Palin is spending those federal tax dollars - on other highway projects around Alaska. As a candidate for governor, she defended every dollar for roads and bridges the state could wrangle from Washington, according to the Congressional Record and the Alaska Department of Transportation.
"I'm not going to stand in the way of progress that our Congressional delegation in the position of strength that they have right now, they are making those efforts for the state of Alaska," Palin said.
Now however, Palin is on a Republican ticket that's promising to reform all earmark spending - all of those federal grants aimed at specific local projects.
And McCain's credibility here is excellent.
"My friends, I have never asked for nor received a single earmark pork-barrel project for my state of Arizona," McCain said.
Palin's record on earmarks is mixed. Compared to the previous governor, Palin's earmarks are down 44 percent, but stills totals more than $450 million over two years.
By repeating the claim she said no thanks to the bridge, the implication is that she confronted a spendthrift Congress recklessly wasting money.
The record shows she wanted that bridge until the end and kept the money.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 440 CommentsFrom Fairbanks,Alaska, Ft.Wainwright
The same former Governor who brought the jet she sold & the Governor who requested the bridge to no where money......Don''t blame Sarah for him.....
Posted by trrrorislamj at 12:51 AM : Sep 12, 2008
I''m still trying to figure out where you''re getting this. I tried your link and it gave me the old "404 file not found" message. It''s almost like it doesn''t even exist.
Posted by trrrorislamj at 12:51 AM : Sep 12, 2008
Is it really wise for repubs to point out who has ties to Saudi billionaires? (Don''t look behind you...Bush is right there.)
and leave the usa defenseless to our enemies,,,
Posted by trrrorislamj at 12:51 AM : Sep 12, 2008
Bring him on. Let us see what worse can happen than 4100 dead brave soldiers, 4000 + disabled brave soldiers, 650,000 dead Iraqis & end less war to be dumped on next administration and record national debt, budget deficits.
Posted by kopana at 11:02 PM : Sep 11, 2008
I thought McCain opposed tax cuts to top 0.1% of the people when Prez. cut taxes and now he wants to make them permanent. Her change of mind suits hers too.
For McCain desperately looking for a woman running mate..so he can say he is for change.... how.... when he votes 90% of time for Bush that he picks a women who is anti-women,(she has been well documented to be anti-pro-choice even in cases of rape and incest) anti science, ( she wants to teach creationism in the public schools isn''t that against the u.s. constitution of separation of church and state????? anti-environment, ) she wants to drill for oil on the north slope where the endangered polar bear are and she is suing the bush department of intereior for listing the polar bear in the first place...what a friend to animals..what does PETA have to say about this???) anti-truth, (she flip flops and misrepresents her stand about the Alaskan bridge to nowhere)......
You''ve been listening to too many hate-comedians.
Even tho'' only teaching practically part-time, due to BO being a state senator, "Douglas Baird, then chair of the law school''s faculty appointments committee, convinced Obama to take a two-year post as a law and government fellow, promising him an office and time to work on his first Book."
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1835238-2,00.html
Hey Mabourn, I jist bet you was the little geek who always donned the hall *** sash??
ROTFLMGTBO!!!
Hey Mabourn, I jist bet you was the little geek who always donned the hall *** sash??
ROTFLMGTBO!!!
Here''''s the plain English: no libel, slander, no lying, no fabricating, no swearing at all, no words that teenagers use a lot that some people think aren''''t swearing but we do, no insulting groups or individuals, no ethnic slurs and/or epithets, no religious bigotry, no threats of any kind, no bathroom humor, no comparing anyone to Hitler, Stalin or Pol Pot. We expect heated, robust debate, but comments should be polite and civil. We consider this to be public space so behave and write accordingly.
Can you cite one publication or work of scholarship to support your claim that Obama was "an admired and accomplished academian [sic]"?
How about some actual detail about or concrete results from Obama''s "community work"?
Over and out...
Posted by mr2258
Palin''''s stint as mayor did NOT have the governmental experience of Obama''''s community work, she took 6 years & 6 schools to get one journalism degree, and she isn''''t even the "beauty queen" some think she is, she''''s a loser. Obama was an admired and accomplished academian, while simultaneously working in the state senate.
Palin doesn''''t have the smarts or experience to begin to keep up with Obama. I know how much the ''''cons despise people that aren''''t idiots, but what can you do when you''''ve bought into being anti-education.
Posted by actornaught at 12:46 PM : Sep 11, 2008
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Translation....Keep the little lady, barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen and let the men handle the real work.
Or, in actor boys case, I suspect he simply hates females in general.
He prefer short men with flat enough head to set his glass of FumeBlanc on.
ROTFLMGTBO!!
Posted by mr2258
Palin''s stint as mayor did NOT have the governmental experience of Obama''s community work, she took 6 years & 6 schools to get one journalism degree, and she isn''t even the "beauty queen" some think she is, she''s a loser. Obama was an admired and accomplished academian, while simultaneously working in the state senate.
Palin doesn''t have the smarts or experience to begin to keep up with Obama. I know how much the ''cons despise people that aren''t idiots, but what can you do when you''ve bought into being anti-education.
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