Palin Lies Like Bush And Spends Like Bush

by Deb Cupples |  Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (John McCain's running mate) has done a lot of talking lately, and her veracity seems about as solid as air.  Over the last few weeks, as  Daily Howler points out, Gov. Palin (at least three times) publicly said that she "championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress."

The Washington Post reports that when Mrs. Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she hired a lobbyist to secure nearly $27 million in federal earmarks for her town of less then 7,000 people. (Wasilla's earmarks are listed at Taxpayers for Common Sense).  It appears that Mrs. Palin's pants are on fire.

by Deb Cupples |  Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (John McCain's running mate) has done a lot of talking lately, and her veracity seems about as solid as air.  Over the last few weeks, as  Daily Howler points out, Gov. Palin (at least three times) publicly said that she "championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress."

by Deb Cupples |  Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (John McCain's running mate) has done a lot of talking lately, and her veracity seems about as solid as air.  Over the last few weeks, as  Daily Howler points out, Gov. Palin (at least three times) publicly said that she "championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress."

The Los Angeles Times reports:

"Under her [Palin's] leadership, the state of Alaska has requested 31 earmarks worth $197.8 million in next year's federal budget, according to the website of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee."

So, now we know that Gov. Palin can stretch the truth with the same ease that President Bush has stretched the truth about... too many things to list here.

Crooks & Liars reported that Gov. Palin -- back when she was Mayor of Wasilla -- had left her tiny town saddled with $20 million in debt (citing Politico).

So, now we also know that Gov. Palin's sense of fiscal responsibility is about as poor as President Bush's, the man who helped increase our national debt more than any president in recent history.

Another thing that Gov. Palin has in common with President Bush: she runs with a questionable crowd.  For example, she has strong ties to U.S. Senator Ted Stevens -- even managed one of stevens' political groups (a 527). 

Sen. Stevens was indicted this year on bribery-related charges. About a week ago, Sen. Stevens -- even while under indictment -- publicly endorsed Gov. Palin as McCain's running mate.

The Palin soap opera seems to be unfolding like a Three Stooges episode.

Memeorandum has commentary.

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* Jack Abramoff Gets 4 years, Halliburton Exec Gets 7

* Contractor Boeing's Workers to Strike, CEO Still Fat

* Does the GOP Want to Lose this Election?

* "Compassionate" Conservative Palin Slashed Teen Moms' Funding

Comments

[Michael]

I love unbiased reporting! Or as you would say, "stripping off the gloss" reporting.
Interesting enough, Ms. Cupples accuses Bush of stretching the truth of "too many things to list here" that she didn't mention one.
She accuses Palin and Bush, once again no name mentioned for Bush's quesionable party, of "Running with a questionable crowd". Of course she fails to mention the best example, which would be Hillary Clinton running with Bill Clinton... or vice versa.
And of course her references include the "unbiased" Crooks and Liars, who are enamored with Hillary Clinton... whose house is decorated with the best the White House HAD to offer, and who mistook a kind little girl in Afghanistan with an all out attack! Take cover!
My question is, does Ms. Cupples actually believe that Americans are so simple minded?

[Deb Cupples (Buck Naked Politics)]

Hi Michael,

You're right: it would have been nice if I'd listed some of Bush's truth-stretchings. Below are just the first 7 that came to mind:

1) Iraq had something to do with 9/aa

2) Hussein had loads of WMDs back in 2002-03

3) "mission accomplished" (May 2003)

4) Louisiana's governor didn't ask for federal help re: Hurricane Katrina (I saw the letter, which was on the White House's website in 2005)

5) the U.S. Attorneys were fired for performance-based reasons (they all had good evaluations)

6) The White House LATER claimed that it had never said #5 (I saw video clips of BOTH statements)

7) The U.S. doesn't engage in torture (a federal offense).

Those are some pretty big truth-stretchings, wouldn't you say?

True enough, it's usually the White House press secretary who actually verbalizes the misleading statements (e.g., Tony Snow said #5 and #6).

BUT the buck stops with the president, given that press secretaries speak for the president (when they're on duty, of course).

As for the Clintons, I don't grasp why you even mentioned them. My blog post had nothing to do with them: it is about Palin and Bush.