Palin Defends Bridge To Nowhere Process

ABC News has just sent out the next crop of excerpts from its interview with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. These things can be tricky to judge just from reading (Palin, for instance, came off much better on paper than on camera during last night's installment) but from the looks of it, it seems that Charlie Gibson got her to acknowledge that she was, in fact, once in favor of the Bridge to Nowhere.

Here is the transcript.

CHARLES GIBSON: But you turned against it after Congress had basically pulled the plug on it; after it became apparent that the state was going to have to pay for it, not the Congress; and after it became a national embarrassment to the state of Alaska. So do you want to revise and extend your remarks.

SARAH PALIN: It has always been an embarrassment that abuse of the ear form -- earmark process has been accepted in Congress. And that's what John McCain has fought. And that's what I joined him in fighting. It's been an embarrassment, not just Alaska's projects. But McCain gives example after example after example. I mean, every state has their embarrassment.

CHARLES GIBSON: But you were for it before you were against it. You were solidly for it for quite some period of time...

SARAH PALIN: I was...

CHARLES GIBSON: ... until Congress pulled the plug.

SARAH PALIN: I was for infrastructure being built in the state. And it's not inappropriate for a mayor or for a governor to request and to work with their Congress and their congressmen, their congresswomen, to plug into the federal budget along with every other state a share of the federal budget for infrastructure.

CHARLES GIBSON: Right.

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SARAH PALIN: What I supported was the link between a community and its airport. And we have found that link now.

Now, this is not a definitive, "yes, I once supported the Bridge to Nowhere statement." It would have been politically suicidal for Palin to make that claim after the McCain campaign has been arguing for a week -- against countervailing evidence -- the exact opposite. But by acknowledging that she was "for infrastructure in the state" and adding that it wasn't "inappropriate" for Congress to provide those funds, Palin is, in essence, defending her support for the process by which the project came to be. That's an acknowledgment that she did, at one point in time, back the bridge -- an admission the McCain campaign has refused to make.

Other news outlets, it should be noted, are reading this entirely differently. ABC, for instance, is running with the headline: GOV. SARAH PALIN BLASTS CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING, INSISTS SHE OPPOSED 'BRIDGE TO NOWHERE,'" and Mark Halperin, over at Time, writes "Palin Insists She Opposed "Bridge to Nowhere." The actual footage could go a long way towards pinpointing her answer.

Of course, all this is a somewhat unnecessary and lawyerly debate as the facts seem all but indisputable: Palin expressed support for the Bridge To Nowhere during her gubernatorial campaign. When the topic became an issue of embarrassment for Alaskans, and when Congress pulled the rug out from under it (though the state got to keep the funds), she opposed the project and put the final nail in the coffin. Case closed.

Not so clear is what she means when she says: "What I supported was the link between a community and its airport. And we have found that link now."

The bridge was never built. And the ferry that served as a connector to Gravina Island was there even before the earmark became so infamous.

Comments

[wolf58]

From factcheck.org

Palin claims Alaska "produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy." That's not true.

Alaska did produce 14 percent of all the oil from U.S. wells last year, but that's a far cry from all the "energy" produced in the U.S.

Alaska's share of domestic energy production was 3.5 percent, according to the official figures kept by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

And if by "supply" Palin meant all the energy consumed in the U.S., and not just produced here, then Alaska's production accounted for only 2.4 percent.

[Agent420]

Yes, but just think if they drill in the refuge and build the 30 billion dollar gas pipeline, Alaska's share will go up to 2.5%. Big Woppy!

[Cathar]

McCain's original strict interpretation of the constitution does beg the questions that amendments should of not been approved for they were not intended from the original document. So Whoppi's comment was fair. Also, the constitution, as written, did not allow women the vote. I guess he is against that to. How about the provision that Senators are chosen by the state legistature. I guess that part is alright with the Republicans.

Get real the Constitution is a LIVING docuement. Amendments are hard to pass because the founders wanted to make sure there was consensus in amending the constitution. It never was intended as unchangeable. Maybee instead of reading the bible some of you should pick up the Federalist papers and read them. I am sure Sarah can tell you all about it after she reads the clip notes.

[larmarch5]

An earmark with lipstick is still an earmar.

[gintheb]

One heart beat away people! THINK!!!!

[eden4barack08]

And she did not even blink! TROUBLING!

[naturesway]

When /if Sarah ever has to assume the role of POTUS, she will pick a VP. She could pick Biden. If it works for the underqualified O then it would work for Sarah.

[Give Peace A Chance]

Her VP pick would be first dude.

[Agent420]

She has to be elected first, so perhaps you should worry about that first. Don't get ahead of yourself, it is not productive.

[viewfromuphere]

I'll tell you what I find interestin­g...the way this thing is being rolled out...you'­d think Palin was the presidental nominee, wouldn't you.

Is there something in those JM medical records???

I'm not kidding...

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

DEMONS NEVER HAVE ANYTHING 2 HIDE :)

[Cathar]

Does Palin believe that there is a"Earmark Fairy" and thats how she got all of the money. And guess who's pockets the earmarks she took went out of OURS. Alaska has always been eating first at the federal money trough. A reformer please. Opportunti­st,politca­l hack - potentially one step away from the Presidency yes.

I blame McCain for not being a statesmen. He choose the LEAST qualified person for VP . Country First. No McCain and his souless trip to the religious right for the sake of personal power first and always. We are having an economic break down. We do not need the not ready for prime time player Palin. We need TRUE CHANGE. No more lies nor more rheteric. Talk the issues. In the light of day this is what the Republicans fear.

[hydenorhare]

So what we have here is the following ...

-Sarah's answer on Is-rael is the same as Obama's.
-Her answer on Georgia & NATO is the same as Obama's.
-Her answer on the Bush Doctrine showed better understanding than Charlie's question.

She could be either a VP, P, or an ABC anchor.

While with Obama we have the following ...
-A guy who thinks there are 57 states
-A guy who thought he was in a state called New Pennsylvania.
-A guy who didn't know his own state shared a border with Kentucky.
-A guy who doesn't know the difference between an inhalator and a breathalyzer.
-A guy who isn't sure if he's a Muslin and has to be corrected by a sympathetic interviewer.
-A legislation hijacker.
-A legislation remora.
-A fighter for infanticide rights.
-An A-linsky acolyte.
-A guy who's indifferent to corruption in his own State legislative body
And on and on and on

He DOES have quite a resume.

[breakingnews]

You spin more than my Maytag.

[PumaAnn]

The one thing I have to remember is that I was shocked, too, by O's inexperience and his goofy answers. I could not fathom why the Dems preferred this unreliable guy over Hill. She was so, so solid.....­.the best candidate of my lifetime.

I noticed everything he said that was goofy, too.

I try to remember that these O supporters are doing the same to Pal. They are simply threatened by her, since she obviously has appeal, is going to appeal to a group of voters who have yet been undecided, and they fear she'll win this election for Mac.

Naturally, they are NUTS about every little word she says and will twist everything to make her into a demon. LOL*

It's not working.

[larmarch5]

-Her energy policy is almost identical to Obama's except for ANWAR, and in that case Obama AND McCain are AGAINST drilling in ANWAR.
-She had no idea, nor do most Americans, what the "Bush Doctrine" meant
-She supports aerial hunting of wolves so there will be more caribou for tourist trophy hunters
-She supports Canadian multinational companies that take AK's resources and sells them elsewhere
-She got 48% of the vote in the Gov race to 41% for the Dem and 9% for an Ind -- in the reddest state in the US

I don't know where you got your Obama talking points; they are bizzarre.

[eden4barack08]

Hey, what happened to your Presidential candidate?

[bygollymissmolly]

You mean Barack Obama, the person who is going to win by a landslide in November.

And please don't tell me he's behind in the polls, because that is a lie. The polling companies are now polling equal numbers of republicans and democrats which is seriously skewing the polls. They used to account for the 12% more registered democrats than republicans. But, even if the polls are right, they have no way to account for 1) the people who are cell phone only, mostly the 18-35 crowd who are overwhelmingly for Obama and 2) the millions of newly registered Democrats.

Personally I am happy to allow the pollsters to cook the books to make it look like it is close. Because if it looked like a landslide, many of the people who have volunteered for Obama will become complacent and many newly registered voters may not vote.

By having it look close, we will get voter turn-out and the numbers will overwhelm the Republicans attempts to flip the numbers and/or suppress voters.

[Beranek]

So, tell us again, what was Sarah's answer on the Bush Doctrine? I must have missed that . . .

[PumaAnn]

I hate to tell you, but Gibson came out of that one even with the editorials looking like he was being a bully.

There are numerous editorials now on this so-called Bush Doctrine. Half of them disagree with HIS definition.

Alot of the liberal writers, even, are saying that she was right to ask him to further refine the question.

And nearly everyone agrees that term is ambiguous. He should have just asked her if she agreed with pre-emptive strikes.

Her answer, when he finally got around to the real question, is very clear.

[mortrefuge]

"SARAH PALIN: I was for infrastructure being built in the state. And it's not inappropriate for a mayor or for a governor to request and to work with their Congress and their congressmen, their congresswomen, to plug into the federal budget along with every other state a share of the federal budget for infrastruc­ture."

Also known as earmarks..­..

[eden4barack08]

So, she and her soulmate are against earmarks that are "NOT inappropriate for mayors and governors to request", and they're gonna stop them. Hmmmmm.
I see, she's a qualified doublespeak Republi con.

[mamala4]

And of course the federal gov should giver her money to research the mating habits of crabs - because Ms. Plain refuses to discuss human sexuality so let's talk about crabs...OM­G...

[Bozwellian]

...somewha­t bodacious to claim HER earmarks were done "transpare­ntly"....L­OL, guess she utilizes flipping the flops to make them seem A-ok and whatever but not so sure legitimate in doing so.

[SeanHannity4Obama]

this girl has too much baggage

[BabsfromKansas]

This clip should go viral - what Sarah Palin is reading and other Deep Thoughts

http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2008/09/06/1/charlie-rose-green-room-with-sarah-palin

[biglith]

That's the biggest flag pin I've ever seen.

[Give Peace A Chance]

Did anyone notice how Sarah keep the money for that bridge-to-nowhere and used almost a quarter of it to build a road to no-where. That's right, she built a road to where the bridge-to-nowhere would have been built. But of course it doesn't even exist.

Such an incredible waste of tax payer's money.

And Hugo Chavez cares more about low-income Americans than Sarah. At a time when American's are finding it difficult to pay for energy, Sarah increases taxes on oil. Alaska's tax on oil is fifty to seventy five percent of profits.

[Bozwellian]

Sara also had hired OWN lobbiests to get earmarks when Mayor..som­e $27 million dollars worth but too, she managed to raise taxes for the residents and left them $20million in debt when she departed the Mayor positon to that Oil Board where she made some good contacts for future tappings no doubt. That Bridge is but one item, check out that PIPELINE deal she swars SHE accomplished for the IMPLIED benefit of the LOWER 48...It is a deal hatched with Canada and NO, not directed to the lower US 48 nor is it even anywhere near even BEING for is still being negotiated and not likely to be in existence within even a decade and too, WAS NOT HER PROPOSAL but is taking CREDIT as if ,guess tis figured to give her bonus points especially if spun just right for public perception in the election.

[ScandalousCandice]

Awesomeness. http://www.michaelpalinforpresident.com/

[BabsfromKansas]

LOL

[Give Peace A Chance]

Sorry Sarah. One who lies and distorts the facts is not a reformer rather, more of the same.

The question Gibson needed to ask her, was..... When, if ever, will she be honest?

[eden4barack08]

Answer: "Charlie, my expertise is in energy, and energy is fundamental to national security, Charlie, don't lose sight of that Charlie, do you understand Charlie, it's about reform Charlie!

[docallen001]

KO noted that one way to slow down and try to control the interview is to use the interviewers name a lot. There has to be some reason that she kept saying Charlie since there were only two people involved in the interview.

[Give Peace A Chance]

She is quite the expert. She claims Alaska supplies 20% OF US energy, however the fact is that Alaska supplies only 3.5 percent of domestically produced energy and only 2.4 percent of US total energy consumption. Alaska's contribution has been rapidly dropping as they pump the North Slope dry.

[Passenger57]

But her and McCain ARE reformers.­..every time you ask them a question, they reform their answer so it's different from the last time.

[neveragain]

Palin = Liar

[WFV]

This interview reads a lot differently than watching it. ABC has many parts of it on their website.

She can say whatever she wants about that bridge. She's not going to change the facts of history, no matter how much mouth cosmetic is applied to the barnyard animal.

The part about Roe v. Wade is what got me upset. Just watching her use the word 'empowerment' made my blood boil, because she has no concept of the meaning of the word.

She is a dangerous menace.

[ScandalousCandice]

So is Mc-Cain saying on the View that he would try and get Supreme Court Justices appointed to change all of that. He wants the constitution to be read as our fore fathers had written but then Whoopi Goldberg asked an important questions. Our fore fathers had slaves should I be worried with your interpretation? Not in that exact question but directly along those lines. They are p-sycho and have a worse agenda planned than most people realize.

[breakingnews]

The Constitution says they Negros would be counted as 3/5 of a human and could be enslaved.

[eden4barack08]

And he answers " I understand your concern...­" CONCERN??? How about just NO, you don't have to worry about slavery coming back??

[ofbbg]

And the 14th amendment TO THE CONSTITUTION BANNED IT!! It's now part and parcel a part on the Constitution. Back to Civics class for you!!