[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help] 

Status: Not Logged In; Sign In

You Know What Happens Next

Cash Jordan: Half-Built Tower Abandoned… as ICE Deports Entire ‘Migrant Workforce’

Heavy rainfall causes flash flooding Tuesday night, some cars stuck in high water on Chicago's West

Biden Doctor PLEADS THE FIFTH, Refuses To Testify To Congress, Biden Pardons ARE VOID

Joe Rogan says FBI director Kash Patel played him for a fool and maga for fools with the Jeff Epstein files

Elon's AI System "Grok" Went Rogue And Has Been SHUT DOWN in an Emergency!

Earthquake Swarms at One of the MOST DANGEROUS Volcanoes in the USA

Ben Shapiro Declares Epstein Case CLOSED: ‘Facts on the Ground Have Changed’

Iran receives 40 Chinese J10-C Fighter Jets

China’s Railgun Is Now Battle-Ready, Thanks to Nuclear Power

Chinese Hypersonic Advancements! Deadly new missile could decimate entire US fleet in 20 minutes

Iran Confirms Massive Chinese HQ 9 B Missile Deal

Why Is Europe Hitting 114°F And Still Rising?

The INCREDIBLE Impacts of Methylene Blue

The LARGEST Eruptions since the Merapi Disaster in 2010 at Lewotobi Laki Laki in Indonesia

Feds ARREST 11 Leftists For AMBUSH On ICE, 2 Cops Shot, Organized Terror Cell Targeted ICE In Texas

What is quantum computing?

12 Important Questions We Should Be Asking About The Cover Up The Truth About Jeffrey Epstein

TSA quietly scraps security check that every passenger dreads

Iran Receives Emergency Airlift of Chinese Air Defence Systems as Israel Considers New Attacks

Russia reportedly used its new, inexpensive Chernika kamikaze drone in the Ukraine

Iran's President Says the US Pledged Israel Wouldn't Attack During Previous Nuclear Negotiations

Will Japan's Rice Price Shock Lead To Government Collapse And Spark A Global Bond Crisis

Beware The 'Omniwar': Catherine Austin Fitts Fears 'Weaponization Of Everything'

Roger Stone: AG Pam Bondi Must Answer For 14 Terabytes Claim Of Child Torture Videos!

'Hit Us, Please' - America's Left Issues A 'Broken Arrow' Signal To Europe

Cash Jordan Trump Deports ‘Thousands of Migrants’ to Africa… on Purpose

Gunman Ambushes Border Patrol Agents In Texas Amid Anti-ICE Rhetoric From Democrats

Texas Flood

Why America Built A Forest From Canada To Texas


(s)Elections
See other (s)Elections Articles

Title: Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans -- Palin flip flop
Source: www.reuters.com
URL Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCa ... ateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901
Published: Sep 1, 2008
Author: Yereth Rosen
Post Date: 2008-09-01 10:53:17 by Ferret Mike
Keywords: None
Views: 1135
Comments: 53

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - It garnered big applause in her first speech as Republican John McCain's vice presidential pick, but Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's assertion that she rejected Congressional funds for the so-called "bridge to nowhere" has upset many Alaskans.

During her first speech after being named as McCain's surprise pick as a running mate, Palin said she had told Congress "'thanks but no thanks' on that bridge to nowhere."

In the city Ketchikan, the planned site of the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere," political leaders of both parties said the claim was false and a betrayal of their community, because she had supported the bridge and the earmark for it secured by Alaska's Congressional delegation during her run for governor.

The bridge, a span from the city to Gravina Island, home to only a few dozen people, secured a $223 million earmark in 2005. The pricey designation raised a furor and critics, including McCain, used the bridge as an example of wasteful federal spending on politicians' pet projects.

When she was running for governor in 2006, Palin said she was insulted by the term "bridge to nowhere," according to Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein, a Democrat, and Mike Elerding, a Republican who was Palin's campaign coordinator in the southeast Alaska city.

"People are learning that she pandered to us by saying, I'm for this' ... and then when she found it was politically advantageous for her nationally, abruptly she starts using the very term that she said was insulting," Weinstein said.

Palin's spokeswoman in Alaska was not immediately available to comment.

National fury over the bridge caused Congress to remove the earmark designation, but Alaska was still granted an equivalent amount of transportation money to be used at its own discretion.

Last year, Palin announced she was stopping state work on the controversial project, earning her admirers from earmark critics and budget hawks from around the nation. The move also thrust her into the spotlight as a reform-minded newcomer.

The state, however, never gave back any of the money that was originally earmarked for the Gravina Island bridge, said Weinstein and Elerding.

In fact, the Palin administration has spent "tens of millions of dollars" in federal funds to start building a road on Gravina Island that is supposed to link up to the yet-to-be-built bridge, Weinstein said.

"She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money," said Elerding about her applause line.

Former state House Speaker Gail Phillips, a Republican who represented the Kenai Peninsula city of Homer, is also critical about Palin's reversal on the bridge issue.

"You don't tell a group of Alaskans you support something and then go to someplace else and say you oppose it," said Phillips, who supported Palin's opponent, Democrat Tony Knowles, in the 2006 gubernatorial race.

A press release issued by the governor on September 21, 2007 said she decided to cancel state work on the project because of rising cost estimates.

"It's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island," Palin said in the news release. "Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here."

(Editing by Daisuke Wakabayashi and Sandra Maler)

Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread  


TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest

Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 23.

#9. To: Ferret Mike, old friend (#0)

Flip flop bridge to nowhere is the topic. Set up your own anti abortion argument somewhere else.

angle  posted on  2008-09-01   11:10:34 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#10. To: angle (#9)

Flip flop

Obama is for flipping flopping babies right in the trash can. After their skull is crushed.

Is that better?

Old Friend  posted on  2008-09-01   11:12:34 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#11. To: Old Friend (#10) (Edited)

political leaders of both parties said the claim was false and a betrayal of their community, because she had supported the bridge and the earmark for it secured by Alaska's Congressional delegation during her run for governor.

Whatever is politically expedient works for Mrs. Palin.

Just because Obama does it doesn't diminsh her complicity. Or does it in your view of Holy Sarah, mother of god?

angle  posted on  2008-09-01   11:14:38 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#16. To: angle (#11) (Edited)

Whatever is politically expedient works for Mrs. Palin.

Didn't take her long to adopt the PNAC foreign policy line, did it? Why should we expect her to be any more principled on domestic issues? If she were the wonderful, honest person that her fans here say she is, she wouldn't be Mad Mac's VP.

Just like Obama wouldn't have been endorsed by Ted Kennedy and John Kerry in the primaries if he were anything but another DNC hack.

Rupert_Pupkin  posted on  2008-09-01   11:23:08 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#18. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#16)

If she were the wonderful, honest person that her fans here say she is, she wouldn't be Mad Mac's VP.

Just like Obama wouldn't have been endorsed by Ted Kennedy and John Kerry in the primaries if he were anything but another DNC hack.

A group of people 'round here are closet McCainiacs and it's evident in their see-no-inconsistency defense of Palin and her "record".

angle  posted on  2008-09-01   11:28:56 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#20. To: angle (#18)

You're right. It's not just Palin they're defending now, all of the sudden, McCain is looking good to them too. I'm starting to see a lot of "McCain isn't so bad after all if he picked Palin."

How long before the McCain Team here starts calling everyone with any criticism of their candidate "liberal Democrats" or "Obamaites," even though most of us have no intention of supporting Obama either?

Rupert_Pupkin  posted on  2008-09-01   11:36:02 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#23. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#20)

--

Live from the Bridge to Nowhere...

Ferret Mike  posted on  2008-09-01   11:54:44 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


Replies to Comment # 23.

        There are no replies to Comment # 23.


End Trace Mode for Comment # 23.

TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest


[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help]