Split Personalities

You know all the times that McCain has said things like “I didn’t say that” and has been confronted with a YouTube clip of himself saying precisely what he just claimed he didn’t say? One suspects that his inability to use a computer has resulted in an inability to comprehend that YouTube exists.

It would seem that living in Alaska has a similar effect. Sarah Palin introduced herself to the nation on the day of her selection as McCain’s running mate with an easily refuted lie.

“I told Congress, ‘Thanks but no thanks’ on that Bridge to Nowhere.”

That was a lie. It was not an exaggeration, or any kind of shading of the truth, it was a flat out, unvarnished lie.

She did not “flip-flop” on that bridge, either, as might seem to be indicated by this statement, made during her campaign for governor in October, 2006,

“I do support the infrastructure projects that are on tap here in the State of Alaska that our Congressional delegations worked hard for.”

She is expressing her support for earmarks in general with that statement, more about that in a moment, but she is not expressing support for the “Bridge to Nowhere” because that bridge plan did not exist as far as Congress was concerned at the time she made that statement. The plan was cancelled in November 2005, and it was not cancelled by anyone in Alaska, it was cancelled by the U.S. Congress.

When the bridge plan was cancelled the money was left intact, so Alaska was free to spend it any way they wished.

Having taken office in December 2006, Sarah Palin was never within thirteen months of having anything whatever to do with the Bridge to Nowhere plan. She did spend the earmark money that was left when the bridge was cancelled by the federal government without her intervention. The bridge was still one of the options, but Congress was out of the picture and didn't need telling anything. She not only didn't cancel the bridge, she took the money.

You can read the details at the Daily Howler.

As Governor of Alaska she was a big champion of earmark spending by the federal government, and even made trips to Washington to help secure more earmarked dollars for her state. Now that she is running for federal office, she is suddenly against earmark spending.

Remember Kerry at the Dem convention, saying the Senator McCain should finish the debate with Candidate McCain?

Maybe Governor Palin should debate Candidate Palin.

Except we know that all four of them lie.