Media All Over The Map On 'Bridge To Nowhere' Story

UPDATE: A round of thanks is due Homer, Alaska's Charlie Stock, who notes that the original image I provided totally Swift-Boated the wrong bridge! I regret the error. A correct map has replaced the erroneous one.

As all politics are local, it makes sense that the most plainspoken account of VP nominee Sarah Palin's involvement in the famous "bridge to nowhere" fiasco is found in the Anchorage Daily News:

"I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere," Palin told the cheering McCain crowd, referring to Ketchikan's Gravina Island bridge.

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.

This morning's Washington Post actually takes the story a step further, with this statement, attributed to Palin:

While campaigning in Ketchikan in September 2006, Palin indicated support for the bridge project, assuming there was no better alternative. "This link is a commitment to help Ketchikan expand its access, to help this community prosper," she told the local chamber of commerce, according to an account in the Ketchikan Daily News.

Again, that's Palin, supporting the bridge. Yet somehow, Post editors gave this piece the headline, "Democrats Say Palin Initially Backed Bridge," and began the story by reporting, "Democrats accused Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Sunday of misrepresenting her role in scuttling a controversial bridge project to a remote island in southeast Alaska." But what "Democrats say" is entirely irrelevant when you have what Palin said staring you straight in the face.

The New York Times went even farther in obscuring the story, which has Dan Kennedy wondering:

So why does the New York Times today weigh in with a weak story, headlined "Account of a Bridge's Death Slightly Exaggerated," that leaves you thinking that maybe she did, maybe she didn't?

Comments

[kellygrrrl]

as a woman
as a mother
as an American

I am SHOCKED and OFFENDED!!!!!

[Daly]

do you support a scout troop, former beauty contestant or can you bowl.

If you answer yes to any one of the questions; please let Mc know that you can be veep.

[kellygrrrl]

it is completely clear and obvious that this candidate was not vetted at all

MkKain gets a big FAIL for first CiC decision

[arthur2008]

Sadly, we may end up with a McCain-Romney ticket after all. That could not have become necessary if John McCain had put the best interests of the nation ahead of his own political ambitions in the first place.

[robXdion]

No, McCain needs someone he can control and get along with. And regardless, withdrawing her name amid scandal after scandal only highlights his poor judgement.

[kellygrrrl]

AHuff is on CSpan right now

[reliant1]

just caught tail end of hosts remarks saying queensarah would not be speaking as scheduled at some meeting tomo morning...­.

she's toast...

[plknightb]

The first thing she did when she became the vice-president designate is lie to the American people about a question we never ask her. Thanks but no thanks to McCain's judgment.

[Totto]

Corporate media: "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"

[Viper]

When the Bridge to Nowhere was an earmark she was for it. As an earmark the FEDs picked up the enitre tab. Alaska paid nothing.

After all the compliants about the Bridge to Nowhere, the funds were un earmarked by Repugs but transfered to the Alaskan highway fund. Use of FED funds for road projects requiries that states match the amount of federal funds or in other words pay half the cost!


Palin decided not to support the Bridge when Alaskians would have to pay half the costs.

Regards

[KarlaElisa]

The 'bridge to nowhere' is a metaphor relating to her political career after the media's had some time to roast her, providing they do their job.

[kellygrrrl]

if MkKain had done his job, the Blogoshpere wouldn't have to

[totalliberal]

She canceled it when Alaska was asked to pay for most of it (82%) themselves.

[HC4BO]

Media ... Stick to one issue and vet the heck out of it ...

This woman has so many disqualifications if you want to vet all at once the election will NOT be held till the next century ...

[rafael44]

she is attractive and sexy smart ambitious is like melanie griffin in working girl

[dnels14]

why would she keep lying about this everytime shes in front of a mic. this is beyond believe.. -and the little crowds cheers when shes lying smack dab in their face..plea­se stop the madness

[Chillinout]

Here is what Palin dod with part of the money from the bridge project:

" It was only at that point that Palin pulled the plug on the bridge project. However, she didn’t pull the plug on the federal funds that came anyway. No, those she used to fund other pork barrel projects. For example, her administration built an access road to the bridge that was not going to be built. Literally, a “road to nowhere,” since the bridge is pretty much dead. "

http://www.hereticalideas.com/2008/09/the-conservative-case-against-sarah-palin/

[FogBelter]

Ed Shultz just mentioned a sweetheart deal that NBC offered John McCain. Seems like he will get a full 5 minute interview on NBC Nightly News based on a demand from his campaign. The same offer was not extended to Obama. Shultz went on to note that NBC is owned by GE who has been making money off the Iraq War, and that GE would probably prefer to see McCain in the White House to continue that.

Bottom line, the MSM is NOT a public service operation it is a business, and its purpose is to further the interests of their corporate owners under the guise of a free press. That is why we see the frame of the stories out of sync as corporate owners play the stories in a way that most benefits them. The upside of the lack of a unified message is it means that the discipline of message coming from the Right Wing is disintegrating due to the balkanization of the Right taking place.

[Totto]

Are American corporations so short-sighted that they want a president who is a high-stakes gambler with a volatile temperament? Someone who doesn't take care in choosing his running-mate and winds up with a Palin? How profitable will a war be if we lose, or an economy that collapses further? Who the hell is running this joint? Obviously nobody with a brain.

[drzoon]

to them... corporations that is... this is not a country. we are not the united states of american. we are a "market". and we are treated as such.

[bilmardre]

Bottom line, the MSM is NOT a public service operation it is a business, and its purpose is to further the interests of their corporate owners under the guise of a free press.

That bears repeating over and over. And the Right Wings talking point that the "liberal media" is in the Democrats pocket is a calculated smoke screen.

[jonjon66]

Why is the media, MSM and all allowing her to lie?
she used her office to fire her-then,b­rother-in-­law,
doesn't believe in evolution,
woman rights to choose,
the pregnancy of her 11th grade daughter,while in 10th grade.. .

Most importantly,she could be president. I actually like a her "fierceness"/ hate her polices
She very scary, not verymainstream

[Big0725]

Maybe it's time to start vetting the media.

These so-and-soes have gotten to the point where even front page pieces that were considered news are now closer to op-ed pieces. Maybe a set of credentials with a mandatory minimum level of competency should be adopted. It's required to drive a car or administer medical care. And tell me a poorly or inaccurately reported story can't cause irreparable harm.

It's high time that the media has to be held responsible for it's malfeasance, and if means a re-vamping of the Constitution, so be it! Personally, there's a couple of things in there that I would like to change.

[drzoon]

that is the best idea yet!

ITS TIME TO START VETTING THE MEDIA.

we have our own... THE INTERNET. we don't need them anymore.

[kellygrrrl]

they can circle the wagons all they want
We the People are Fed Up

Take It Back!

[Alexandro]

the ones who are not afraid of digging and searching for "other" views online are not the problem, but the millions who rely on FNC and other corrupt media are.

If you make them "vet" the crap they are watching on the MSM channels then you will bring about change - as long as they are not interested in the truth or a different point of view or opinion, nothing will actually change.