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Palin's Earmarks a 'Bear' of An Issue

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September 13, 2008 1:28 PM

ABC News' Ron Claiborne reports: For the past year, Sen. John McCain has told a pretty good joke about grizzly bears to make a point about what he deems wasteful federally-funded earmark spending.

"My friends," McCain says, "we spent $3 million of your money to study the DNA of bears in Montana.  "Now I don't know if that was a paternity issue or a criminal issue, but it was a waste of money."

It turns out, the state of Alaska under Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate, sought millions in federal funds to study the genetics of harbor seals, and gather data on  halibut fisheries and sea crabs.

According to Politico, Alaska requested $3.2 million for "Seal and Stellar Sea Lion Biological Research," which would among to things be used to monitor ice seal populations in Native villages and study the "specifies delineation and genetics of harbors seals to understand the declines in populations and provide for population restoration."

The state also sought $2 million to look into Bering Sea crab productivity and sustainability" and $494,900 to collect data for an assessment of recreational halibut harvest.

In his exclusive ABC News interview with Palin, World News anchor Charles Gibson asked her about the request for federal funds to research seals.

"Those requests, through our research divisions and fish and game and our wildlife departments and our universities, those research requests did come through that system, but wanting it to be in the light of day, not behind closed doors, with lobbyists making deals with Congress to stick things in there under the public radar.," Palin said. "That's the abuse that we're going to stop. That's what John McCain has promised over and over for these years."

She said, "The abuse of earmarks, it's un-American, it's undemocratic, and it's not going to be accepted in a McCain-Palin administration. Earmark abuse will stop."

In 26-plus years in Congress, McCain has never sought an earmark for his home state Several earmarks received by Wasilla, Alaska while Palin was mayor of the town of 6,700 were cited on McCain's pork list several years ago.
 
 

September 13, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (565)

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Has anyone noticed the tone of the topics for this blog?

Scan down the list of topics and see how many support Obama and Biden or try to demean John McCain and Sarah Palin.

You folks at ABC need to at least TRY to look like an independent news source instead of an outlet for Obama campaign propaganda.


Anybody But Obama...

Posted by: Jayhawk | Sep 13, 2008 1:34:55 PM

F-uck the liberal bias at ABC News.

Posted by: Mitch | Sep 13, 2008 1:40:02 PM

October Surprise? Lawsuit Claiming Obama Not a US Citizen

A Lafayette Hill lawyer who filed a legal challenge to Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy claiming he doesn't meet U.S. residency requirements had a motion for a temporary restraining order denied Friday.

Though the motion was denied, Berg said he was encouraged that Judge R. Barclay Surrick did not dismiss the lawsuit. The litigation also sought "expedited discovery."

http://www.phoenixvillenews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20100863&BRD=1673&PAG=461&dept_id=17915&rfi=6

Posted by: LightSeeker | Sep 13, 2008 1:41:22 PM

McCain lied. Plain and simple. It's time the media covers issues instead of attacks, and polls. What about comparing policy positions and plans instead of who changed what logo.

Posted by: MM | Sep 13, 2008 1:46:09 PM

Hypocrisy Unleashed: In the Earmark Game, Obama Beats McCain, $740 Million To Nothing

"Sarah Palin is a Governor who reduced her state’s earmarks by 63%, nearly 2/3rds, since taking office. It’s still high in Alaska (for reasons the article describes), but it is only a third of what it used to be."

http://theamericansentinel.com/2008/09/08/in-the-earmark-game-obama-beats-mccain-740-million-to-nothing/

Posted by: LightSeeker | Sep 13, 2008 1:46:13 PM

LightSeeker

Fact Obama was born in Hawaii a couple of years after Hawaii became a U.S. state. Fact McCain was born in Panama on a military base. McCain is more likely to be a non- citizen then Obama is.

Posted by: MM | Sep 13, 2008 1:49:35 PM

Studying the DNA of bears in Montana, or studying the genetics of harbor seals, halibut, and sea crabs may very well be money well spent.

1. It certainly will advance our understanding of genetics generally

2. It may help us to understand how to better protect species threatened with extinction.

Both worthwhile goals.

Certainly more worthwhile to the WHOLE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES than spending hundreds of millions of dollars on "infrastructure" AKA "boondoggles" aka "earmarks" AKA "pork" in Alaska such as multiple "bridges to nowhere", "roads to nowhere", and million dollar sports complexes for small towns with a population hardly large enough to fill a high-school gymnasium in a rural town in the lower 48.

=====================================

I guess the point is ithe hypocrisy, and irony of McCain no claiming that, despite overwhelming evidence to the ocntrary, Gov. Palin is a "reformer", someone who has fought to reduce wasteful government spending.

It won't make a bit of difference. The Republican base has fallen hard for this "Joan of Arc" from Wasilla, this "Marilyn Monroe", packing heat, this "Little Red Riding Hood" who shoots defenseless wolves from overflying helicopters, and her daughter JUNO from JUNEAU.

They don't care about substance, they ignore hypocrisy, disturbing FACTS do not trouble them.

They are hunkered in a mental bunker untroubled by the world of facts, evidence, and real threats that the rest of us live in.

Posted by: niccolo m@chiavelli | Sep 13, 2008 1:50:33 PM

We don't know this woman!!! You may not like Obama, but his record has been out there for almost two years. Every single word and facial expression has been picked apart.

Isn't it the journalists' job to scrutinize Pallin. She is much more likely to be President if McCain wins. Is it only the media's job to be stenographers for the campaign?

Posted by: MikeNJ | Sep 13, 2008 1:52:48 PM

Posted by: LightSeeker | Sep 13, 2008 1:46:13 PM

Obama sought earmarks? I am shocked...just shocked!

Has HE ever claimed he didn't? No, he did not. So, he is not a hypocrite.

Now which politician running in this fall's presidential elections did claim she is against earmarks, that she said "thanks, but no thanks" and returned the money to the federal government?

Hmmm...

If I could just find out who that was then I would sure call that politician a liar and a hypocrite...out to deceive the American public about his/her real political agenda.

Posted by: niccolo m@chiavelli | Sep 13, 2008 1:54:18 PM

Lightseeker

Obama has nothing against earmarks McCain does. There are good earmarks so as for infrastructure, education, and etc. So McCains says he'll fight earmark spending and then picks Alaska governor Palin you has ask for more earmarks per constituent, it is a little bit hypocritical.

Posted by: MM | Sep 13, 2008 1:54:27 PM

Don't blame ABC or the media. The fact is that the McCain campaign is dishonest and the media is just doing its role. For McCain, what goes around comes around. Period. McCain is really out of touch. I saw him on the view, he said lies regarding Palin, a proof that he doesn't know her at all. What a dream team.

Posted by: Fred | Sep 13, 2008 1:57:51 PM

I personally think it is wrong for McCain to vote against every earmark before distinguishing if it is good or not. If I earmark money to my state to help put computers in schools, McCain would vote against it because it is an "earmark".

Posted by: MM | Sep 13, 2008 1:59:51 PM

If being interested in the truth is a liberal attribute, then I guess I'm liberal.

McCain/Palin bring this on themselves when they push their demonstrably false earmark talking points.

Maybe they should change the subject, if they have anything else CONSTRUCTIVE to talk about.

And maybe the haters should find another blog to troll. It just seems to put you in a bad mood. Have a good weekend.

Posted by: really | Sep 13, 2008 2:01:26 PM

Boy the republicans sure get testy when you try to find out things about Palin - what is it they don't want the rest of us to find out? They spend a lot of time trying to divert attention by trash talking Obama. It's time for the American public to open their eyes to the same old Republican tactics that got us into the mess we are currently in! For the sake of the country - Obama '08!

Posted by: malkittens | Sep 13, 2008 2:02:29 PM

Posted by: MikeNJ | Sep 13, 2008 1:52:48 PM

We don't know this woman?

===================================

In fact, after two weeks we know quite a lot.

1. She tells naked lies about her political past.

2. She RAISED taxes on oil corporations. She returned the extra revenue directly to Alaskan citizens. Essentially, she raised the cost of oil, and at least by Republican economic logic, past the cost of that tax down to the rest of us in the lower 48. We paid that tax in higher fuel costs.

3. She is the QUEEN of pork, though she presents herself as a cost-cutter. Not when it comes to gobbling up a disproportionate slice of the federal pie for her precious Alaskan constituents.

4. She pretends to know or care about energy policy. She does not. She knows oil companies, and that's all.

5. She pretends to have taken on oil companies. She has not, she is in their pocket fighting to get ANWR opened for drilling.

6. She pretends to know even the first thing about foreign policy, because she can "see Russia from Alaska". Well, I can see the moon from my backyard, that doesn't make me an Astronaut.

etc, etc.

7. She thinks she that by praying she kind influence the mind of God to support a pipeline deal she is trying to work out with Canada.

Posted by: niccolo m@chiavelli | Sep 13, 2008 2:02:50 PM

McCain's proven dishonesty betrays America's trust.

McCAIN IS UNTRUSTWORTHY.

Posted by: Ed from MA | Sep 13, 2008 2:04:01 PM

typo:

7. She thinks that by praying she can influence the mind of God to support a pipeline deal she is trying to work out with Canada.

She actually believes that through prayer, she has POWER over the mind of god to influence to provincial pipeline deal!

Now, that's CHUTZPAH.

Posted by: niccolo m@chiavelli | Sep 13, 2008 2:05:21 PM

the "earmarks" the article speaks of were requested by educational institutions.

Do you guys know about the earmarks for Rezko and his slums that Obammie got for him while he was Illinois senator. Me thinks not. Can't seem to find a 'fair and balanced' ABC news article on that one.

Posted by: obamamama | Sep 13, 2008 2:05:45 PM

Fact: one of Arizona's major private employers is Walmart. (There goes worker Rights)
Fact: Arizona has the largest state deficit in the country.(Hmmm?)
Fact: Arizona's largest employer is the state government. (Big government?)
Fact: John McCain represents Arizona.

Posted by: MM | Sep 13, 2008 2:05:53 PM

To all you McCain/Palin supporters, as an Obama supporter I say, stop whining about the media. No one has received more negative press during the past 2 years than Obama. There are several studies that prove that fact. Obama is in the news a lot but most of it is negative. If you want to win this election argue about the issues.

Posted by: Marion | Sep 13, 2008 2:06:11 PM

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