Experience? Obama Vs Palin On Pork

There's experience and then there's experience. As Jim Geraghty notes - Palin killed the Bridge to Nowhere project.

Obama's give me my share attitude and actions on pork have been widely reported:

"My philosophy was that, if money was being distributed, then it would be inappropriate for me to not get my share for my district," Obama, now one of the U.S. Senate Democrats' leaders on ethics reform, said in an interview. "Did I think it was the best way to prioritize government spending? No."

The Tribune analyzed 119 grants in which Obama steered more than $6 million for Chicago projects between late 1999 and late 2002, the heart of his Statehouse career and the center of a state government frenzy in which Obama said the pork-barrel process was "wide open."

Typical of his grants was the $5,000 Obama delivered to the South Shore Public Library for chess equipment, books and knitting supplies, or the $5,000 to help the Sir Miles Davis Academy plaster and paint walls and repair windows.

But other grants reflected politics. In 2001, for example, Obama steered $75,000 to a South Side charity called FORUM Inc., which promised to help churches and community groups get wired to the Internet. Records show five FORUM employees, including one who had declared bankruptcy, had donated $1,000 apiece to Obama's state Senate campaign.

Comments

[el gordo]

Her one weak spot is foreign policy experience, but if something happened to President McCain she could always appoint Joe Biden as her vice president or get 300 advisors, since that is the gold standard according to certain commenters here.

[CAD Daddy]

pssssst....
I think that's the BRIDGE to nowhere project.

[IslamoLlama]

"-- The $398 million bridge would have connected Ketchikan, on one island in southeastern Alaska, to its airport on another nearby island.

Gov. Sarah Palin said Friday the project was $329 million short of full funding.

"We will continue to look for options for Ketchikan to allow better access to the island," the Republican governor said. "The concentration is not going to be on a $400 million bridge." --"

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/22/alaska.bridge.ap/

Yeah, Palin killed the bridge project because the funds didn't exist to complete it. She didn't give back any of the money requisitioned for the project.

"-- On Friday, Leo von Scheben, commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, said the bridge money could be used to build roads in Alaska.

"There is no question we desperately need to construct new roads in this state, including in southeast Alaska, where skyrocketing costs for the Alaska Marine Highway System present an impediment to the state's budget and the region's economy," von Scheben said in a statement.

The governor urged Alaskans not to dwell on the bridge. --"

Alaska continued to suck at the federal government's teet. It just changed nipples. But I guess around here that's the sort of change you are willing to believe in.

[Dan Riehl]

lol changed thanks - must have been thinking about my first wife! Well, actually I don't have one of those but, if I did ....

[Children of the Arugula]

And the left continues to dig and dig and dig. Unfortunately, they haven't figured out that it's their own grave being dug.

[Joe Miller]

Two quick observation.

First, the democrats say that this election is about understanding people in small town america. Yet their criticism of Palin is that she was the Mayor of a small town and this counts as 0 experience. So why do they disparage small town Americans as unqualified?

Second, it is interesting to watch as the media savages another women as it throws Palin under the buss as a VP candidate while it celebrates a man with equal or less experience as a qualified presidential candidate

[IslamoLlama]

"-- First, the democrats say that this election is about understanding people in small town america. --"

They did?
And this still begs the question - why Palin? Why is she the small town mayor that McCain choose out of the thousands of small town mayors available to him. Was former Governor Mittens Romney too big town for his taste? Was Pawlenty simply too out of touch for the VP slot?

What does Palin carry to the GOP that the rest of McCain's short list leave behind? Oh yeah, boobs. Affirmative action candidate, ftw.

"-- Second, it is interesting to watch as the media savages another women as it throws Palin under the buss as a VP candidate while it celebrates a man with equal or less experience as a qualified presidential candidate --"

She's been VP for less than 24 hours and already she's a victim of MSM media bias? Wow, that was fast. If she's so thin-skinned, maybe she's not the best VP pick after all, eh? But please, keep playing that victim card. Nothing says "I'm strong enough to save the world from terrorists!" like "Please, please don't criticize me for I am a sweet defenseless little girl."

[Fred Beloit]

When did she say this or anything like it, Moe?
"Please, please don't criticize me for I am a sweet defenseless little girl."
Only in your fevered brain?

[PA]

"Her one weak spot is foreign policy experience"

Yea, the governor of the only state that has land within view of Russian land must no nothing at all about foreign policy.

[Gotta love it]

"Oh yeah, boobs. Affirmative action candidate, ftw."

Nice to see the left finally having some issue with affirmative action.

[Ulrich P.]

---She's been VP for less than 24 hours and already she's a victim of MSM media bias?---

From CNN today:

“How is she going to campaign full time with a baby? Is that any way to treat your child? Can she handle the VP duties and also raise a baby, a 7 year old, and a 13 year old?

My friends, please welcome the Mayor of Wasilla and her eskimo First Gentleman”

[Florida Patty]

Just got home and finished watching the evening news for the pundit bytes.
Had to jump right here to see what Dan has to report.

Media bias is only in need of an organ grinder and monkey with a dress on.

Now is when this race is going to get real interesting.

[Chuck]

Why is she the small town mayor that McCain choose out of the thousands of small town mayors available to him.

SHE'S NOT A MAYOR SHE'S A GOVERNOR!!! STOP LISTENING TO LIBERAL NEWS STATIONS. IF OBAMA WAS SENATOR OF ALASKA...HE'D BE WORKING FOR HER.! GOVERNOR TRUMPS SENATOR!!!

[Leah]

You're right...and her experience is in total, no less (albeit different branh) than Obamas!!! I can't believe they are even bringing this up...He was a Legislator and now a Freshan Senator.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

I just wonder if when Texas gets federal highway funds, do they return them? We know that Lousiana used levee money for "other things" at least until three years ago. SHit, maybe it's just wrong for Rep governors to use fed funds to build roads instead of the bridges it was sent for.

This is so fun to watch! Sorry Rush/Hannity fans. The girl for VP isn't going to be that big of a help for J-Mc and Mittens would've been a far better choice. She isn't going to pull any demonrats off the fence. Maybe a few who were voting for a woman BECAUSE it was a woman but they will be offset by the bible thumpers who dont believe a woman should hold a position of power. Feminists will run away because she's attractive....and because she chose to keep her down's baby. Single women and gay men are still going to vote for the pretty black dude. The gap will narrow only very slightly so continue sending your money to your off shore accounts.

[Andy B]

For this country; For a major political party to nominate someone with so little experience, with less than 2 years in office before appearing onto the national stage and entering the presidential race of the United States isn’t only frightening, it’s dangerous. And NO I’m not talking about Sarah Palin. I’m talking about Barack Obama.

[seekeronos]

"--- Single women and gay men are still going to vote for the pretty black dude. The gap will narrow only very slightly so continue sending your money to your off shore accounts. ---"

I'd say the margin has narrowed from a 45 electoral vote gap in favour of Obama to somewhere between a half-dozen to a full dozen.

It is fully possible that the gap might close and it becomes an even contest; had Obama played his hand more wisely and chosen Clinton for VP, he would have opened the gap up to 60 electoral votes, and perhaps more than a 20% margin on the popular vote.

As it stands, he might get "Gored" with a surprisingly close pop. vote n his favour, and a McCain electoral vote.

Not accounting for spoilage from Bob Barr, naturally.

[FlaFlo]

Dems hate women and blacks. The Boston Brahmins are satanists.

[Jamie]

Palin did NOT kill the "bridge to nowhere." Much like Kerry, she was FOR it, before she was AGAINST it. She actually ran on a "pro-bridge" platform when she ran for governor two years ago. She only gave it up when it became a national joke and the federal funds were being withdrawn. So she actually LIED in her very first words to the American people.

God help us. Has John McCain had a head injury lately that we don't know about???

[Spartan112]

Awww you stole my line Jamie...she was for it before she was against it...

She follows in a long line of highly qualified republicans...Michael Bron, Harriet Meirs, Clarence Thomas.

[Howard]

Obama's twisted logic that merely running for office provides him with the qualifications, experience and credentials to perform in that office, is as laughable as his twisted logic that a whirlwind 9 day, six country, overseas photo op qualifies him as an expert on foreign policy. Obama is an empty suit who is obviously trying to create the illusion that he is something that he is not. If its a choice between an experienced mayor and Governor, with an approval rating of 80% for V.P. versus. a community organizer, and junior senator, who spent most of his time in office running for President ... I choose Palin. No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko, no mean Michelle, NOBAMA