Media: Wanted, Larger Tank

Like many, I've perceived the mainstream media as being in the tank for liberals and Democrats over the years. This year, however, it's difficult to see them making it through November without collectively purchasing a larger tank. Between the ugliness of their attacks on Governor Palin and the over-flowing juices from their passion for Obama, perhaps they need a tank designed along the lines of one typically used for sewage.

Yesterday Jr. Illinois Senator Obama told a bold-faced lie on the stimulus package. Not only did he not have a role in formulating the legislation, he didn't even bother showing up to vote on it.

"In January, I outlined a plan to help revive our faltering economy," Obama said, "which formed the basis for a bipartisan stimulus package that passed the Congress."

Is that true?

Hard to come up with a better item than that which displays Obama's self-aggrandizing, manufactured resume and biographies. It's also an item soon to be fodder for a McCain ad, one can hope. But will the media run with it as they have done with anything and everything about Palin? Don't hold your breath.

Then we also have this outrageous sideshow that borders on, if not crosses over into what's treasonous by Obama, particularly as he was working to ensure that a maximum number of troops remained at risk throughout the Fall campaign for his political benefit. Not only is it not the place of a Jr. Senator to displace the entire Executive Branch at time of war, what Obama really wanted to ensure was that Iraq would be a key point of discussion during the Fall campaign. He simply didn't bank on our military succeeding as they have. As an aside, so far as I can tell, he still hasn't even given them the credit for that they deserve. Given all that, that this self-serving empty suit fancies himself worthy of becoming CIC in January is a bitter joke the mainstream media seems prepared to perpetuate on the American people.

"Obviously, we can't have US forces operating on the ground in Iraq without some sort of agreement, either a further extension of the UN resolution or some sort of Status of Forces agreement, some strategic framework agreement. As I said before, my concern is that the Bush administration -- in a weakened state politically -- ends up trying to rush an agreement that in some ways might be binding to the next administration, whether it was my administration or Sen. McCain' s administration." (Emphasis added.)

I wonder, after being accused by their like-minded liberal cohorts of being AWOL on the run up to the Iraq War, have they decided to pay them back by going AWOL on Obama for this Fall's campaign? Don't believe me? Just look:

A tally of name appearances at 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 16, on the ABC News website at “The Blotter from Brian Ross and The Investigate Team”

Palin: 24

McCain: 2

Biden: 1

Obama: 0

Also see here.

"If this charge is false, the Obama campaign must push forcefully for and get a substantial correction, if not a full retraction of the Taheri article. If they don’t, then longtime accusations of Obama’s naked self-interest may doom an already flailing campaign." I don't think the Obama Campaign's response comes anywhere close to that. In fact, it seems more to confirm Taheri's account.

Comments

[Fred Beloit]

Ta ta ta daaaaa. And the winner of the First Fred Beloit Prize for Idiotic Comment of the Year goes to..................Nancy Pelosi, who said:
"'I think the American people have had it with this situation where the middle-income people in our country are not protected from the ramifications of the risk-taking and the greed of these financial institutions,' Pelosi told MSNBC."
Oh noes. The middle-income people in this country are not protected when they take risks. One is forced to conclude that Pelosi is in favor of making risk-taking...risk free. Yea yea hurray.
THE HILL producer.

[Fred Beloit]

This is a new low in video ads, brought to us by, who else, the Dems. How could grieving parents be manipulated into claiming their son, a Major killed doing the duty he chose to do, was a simple-minded tool of the Bush administration and a Senator from their state. This is truly disgusting. Let's see what the MSM will say about this (Nothing?).
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/273597.php

[A.W.]

Hey, let me ask a question. What does the metaphor "in the tank" actually refer to. I mean i understand waht the message of the metaphor is: that you are biased. But I literally don't know the backstory of how being biased is like being in some kind of tank. I am not even sure what kind of tank we are talking about.

Like for instance, if I said such and such was the "dog that didn't bark" then that is shorthand for a Sherlock Holmes story where a bunch of guys trespassed somewhere or other, and the dog was not heard barking, from which Holmes deduced that the dog must have known the men, and thus used that as an important clue to solve the mystery. So the dog that doesn't bark means something doesn't happen that should.

So what is the underlying story of the "in the tank" metaphor?

[Herb]

At the rate we're going, the whole country's going to be "in the tank" for Obama.

[Baxter Greene]

Yea right,having Obama and his band of merry democrats come up with solutions to this mess is like having the fox watch the hen house:

The Best Congress Fannie Could Buy (via Instapundit)
http://www.classicalvalues.com/archives/2008/09/the_best_congre.html
This is a long and complicated story about how Obama backers were behind the mortgage industry meltdown. It hast to start some where, so lets start with a well known Chicago name Penny Pritzker. It starts with a bank failure.

Mr. Change "Hopes" that the MSM will take his marching orders and totally ignore
the corruption and responsibility that the democrats have in this mess.

Whose policies led to the credit crisis?
posted at 9:40 am on September 16, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/16/whose-policies-led-to-the-credit-crisis/

"However, what many do not recall is that Bush wanted to tighten oversight with a new regulatory board for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other government recipients for the express purpose of addressing bad loan practices — and Democrats blocked it."

"Among the groups denouncing the proposal today were the National Association of Home Builders and Congressional Democrats who fear that tighter regulation of the companies could sharply reduce their commitment to financing low-income and affordable housing.
”These two entities — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — are not facing any kind of financial crisis,” said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. ”The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing.”

But..But..But it's Bush's fault!!!

[Fred Beloit]

"From CNN Chief National Correspondent John King
Fiorina said neither McCain or Palin are qualified to run a company.

(CNN) — Top McCain-Palin official Carly Fiorina is facing criticism from some within the campaign for a day of what they call "very Biden-like" comments, after the former Hewlett-Packard CEO told two separate interviewers that neither member of the Republican ticket would be capable of running a company."

Fox News played video last night that showed Fiorina went on to say the neither Obama nor Biden were qualified either. CNN falsley edited the video to misrepresent Fiorina's point. CNN has no pride, no honor, no decency, just like the political hacks they favor.

[anon]

The media's mistake here is that they have totally abandoned even a thin veneer of objectivity....already a huge number of Americans tend to question whatever the media tells them, even when it is delivered in deadpan Walter Cronkite fashion...when the media is hysterical and frothing at the mouth with their hatred evident....I doubt anyone who isn't also frothing at the mouth is going to be convinced.

The media has done more damage to Obama's candidacy in the last week than the McCain campaign ever will.

[seekeronos]

"In the Tank"

Defn. by Lee Cary, a columnist/blogger for "The American Thinker":

"----
An idiom with no clear etymology. In finance, a significant fall in the value of a security, stock, etc., as in "Our stock is in the tank." In boxing, a fighter who intentionally loses a bout, "He went in the tank for that fight." In current political parlance, it refers to the MSM's partisan favoritism, as in "Old Media News is in the tank for Obama."
----"

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/06/old_media_news_in_the_tank.html

Seeker thinks that the usage as related to journalists is probably closely related to the boxer who takes a dive for the money; in short, instead of fighting a fair bout, or representing the news with neither bias nor partiality, the news outlets, for want of ad sales and airtime, have sold themselves out to Camp Obama.

[Baxter Greene]

This cut and paste by the media so they could run around with their "I can see Russia
from here" tag line is just another way they want to undermine the McCain/Palin ticket
while providing cover for Mr.57 states "I can't go anywhere without my teleprompter"Obama:

PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals. That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia.
And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.
GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?
PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.
GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia?
PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

It is obvious that Palin had a lot more insight into this situation than the fact she could see Russia from Alaska.

[Baxter Greene]

The "I don't know the Bush Doctrine" is also another cut and paste job:

Washington Post: Shock! There are Different Versions of the Bush Doctrine
Filed under: 2008 Election, Media Bias — DRJ @ 4:52 pm
http://patterico.com/2008/09/13/washington-post-shock-there-are-different-versions-of-the-bush-doctrine/
[Guest post by DRJ]

Peter D. Feaver, who worked on the Bush national security strategy as a staff member on the National Security Council, said he has counted as many as seven distinct Bush doctrines. They include the president's second-term "freedom agenda"; the notion that states that harbor terrorists should be treated no differently than terrorists themselves; the willingness to use a "coalition of the willing" if the United Nations does not address threats; and the one Gibson was talking about -- the doctrine of preemptive war.

So Palin asks for some clarification from Mr. MSM that has asked a question he does
not know the answer to and Palin is supposed to be the stupid one.

This makes about as much sense as Obama finally admitting that the surge has been
a success but when asked if he knew then what he knows now,would he still vote against it,Obama says "yes".

This idiocy is what passes for intelligent leadership in the liberal bubble.

[Baxter Greene]

The press has painted McCain a liar about his Sex Ed ad,now it is obvious that McCain did not lie,but they will continue the talking point to help their man Obama:

On Sex-Ed Ad, McCain Is Right
What was that Illinois sex-education bill really about?

By Byron York
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NzI3ZDUzOTE0ZThlMTU3MTY0MDI4ZTY0MTZhY2I2MGY=

The proposed bill eliminated all those passages and replaced them with wording like this:
Course material and instruction shall include a discussion of sexual abstinence as a method to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Course material and instruction shall present the latest medically factual information regarding both the possible side effects and health benefits of all forms of contraception, including the success and failure rates for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV…

Wow!!!,ok Timmy,you did good counting all the way to 5 today,now lets get back to our discussion about those awful genital warts you might run into!!

Obviously a little bit more than "predatory touching".

Staying on the Obama smear express,did you know that McCain is to old and stupid
to operate a computer or send an E-mail?

But...But...But...this leading Obama supporter sang a different tune:

Trippi Praised McCain's "First Bold Attempt To Harness The Power Of The Internet"
Posted by Kevin
Published: September 13, 2008 - 2:16 AM
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/09/13/trippi-praised-mccains-first-bold-attempt-to-harness-the-power-of-the-internet.php

In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the U.S. Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits.

But the truth doesn't matter because we the press have a higher order,an obligation
to right all the wrongs in the world and set forth our mission to shape the world into what we think is right,regardless of the truth or the facts.
Facts and the truth will not get in the way of getting our hero community organizer
elected,because you know,Jesus was a community organizer.

[patrick]

Your going to need a bigger tank.

In honor of Peter Benchly

[HRPKathy]

We do ourselves no service to underestimate that lying pack of hyenas called our national media. Almost everyone is indeed aware that the media is 'in the tank' for Obama, but that will be the reason some people will vote for him. Republicans haven't trusted the media for years, because we often see the truth ignored at best and turned on its head at worst. Take the term "swiftboating". To me that means to tell the truth about someone who is running for political office because the media will not. But it is now common vernacular for a political attack which is untruthful. Our media effectively changed the meaning.

GWB may not be the best president, and I may not approve of everything he's done, but he has kept us safe since 9/11, and until the democrats took over Congress, he kept the economy going. He will not be seen as 'the worst president in history' as he is currently portrayed by our media (Carter gets that distinction), but the damage of years of relentless falsehoods and scorn has taken its toll on GWB. They have made it impossible for him to campaign and help his party by ignoring all the positives of his administration.

They only have two months to do the same to McCain/Palin, so they have intensified their efforts. It's false confidence to think the media can't and won't harm them. We on the right know our enemy, unfortunately not everyone is well informed or even cares to be, and they will believe what they are being forcefed on the tv or in newspapers.

Our responsibilities as bloggers have never been greater or more important. Obama's Iraq troop level tampering hardly merits a squeek from the media, but they are busily broadcasting the truncated words of Carly Fiorina as well as John McCain's and Sarah Palin's to edit out the true meaning. Distortion is now the mode of preference.

It's a very scary time for our democracy. The media has done it before - and they are trying to do it again.

And I'm not sure we can stop them.

[Fred Beloit]

This job title, sounding so innocent, so benign, "community organizer", should be changed to reflect what it really is. And that would be? That would be, depending on the subclass, community instigator, community indoctrinator, community activist, community insurgent.

[Fred Beloit]

BTW, does anyone here know who signed Obie's pay checks while he was a CO, CA, or CI? For whom did he actually work?

[kcom]

"my concern is that the Bush administration -- in a weakened state politically -- ends up trying to rush an agreement that in some ways might be binding to the next administration, whether it was my administration or Sen. McCain' s administration."

Last I checked, George Bush is still president of the United States. It's his job to run the nations's foreign policy until Jan. 20, 2009. Whether he's in a weakened state politically is irrelevant. Can you imagine him in a meeting with a foreign leader and saying, "I'm in a weakened state politically, so we can't really talk."? Can you imagine him saying that to Vladimir Putin during the Georgia crisis?

I think this is a prime example of Barack Obama putting party before country. Instead of realizing that he's representing the country on his foreign travels he seems to be under the impression he's representing either himself or the Democratic Party. It's so wrong it's not even funny. No politician, Democrat or Republican would have done that in a previous generation. It's damn near treasonous.

I wonder if he's even thought ahead to his possible administration and whether he wants individual senators gallivanting around the world making independent deals with foreign governments. What do you think the response from him will be the day some senator stands up and says, "Don't make any deals with foreign government, you're down in the polls today."? What he's doing is mindbogglingly shortsighted. Can't he see that? Is he that stupid? Or does politics simply trump everything?

And isn't every agreement that is made in some way binding on the next administration? That's what a nation-state is all about. Foreign countries negotiating with us negotiate with our country, they don't negotiate with a political party. And to the extent that Obama distinguishes the two, and thinks one party is free to make agreements with foreign governments directly (while cutting out the rest of the country), then he is a decidedly scary individual to have as president.

[seekeronos]

Fred said:

"--- This job title, sounding so innocent, so benign, "community organizer", should be changed to reflect what it really is. And that would be? That would be, depending on the subclass, community instigator, community indoctrinator, community activist, community insurgent. ---"

Vewwwwy intewestink, indeed.

And this from the wiki about the communist Saul Alinsky:

"--- Saul Alinsky, based in Chicago, is credited with originating the term "community organizer" during this time period. Alinksy wrote two books: Reveille for Radicals, published in 1946; and Rules for Radicals, published in 1971, which was adopted as a "bible" by many radical activists. ---"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_organizing#1900_to_1940

Supposedly Comrade Alinsky dedicated his works to LUCIFER, the "first radical":

"--- Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins -- or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom -- Lucifer. ---"

To be accurate, he was the first rebel... and according to the Bible, he is currently the "god of this world" - note the little "g" as he is still subordinate to God's authority... but I digress.

Comrade Alinsky wrote in "Rules for Radicals" (excerpted from the wiki article)

"--- There's another reason for working inside the system. Dostoevski said that taking a new step is what people fear most. Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and change the future. This acceptance is the reformation essential to any revolution. To bring on this reformation requires that the organizer work inside the system, among not only the middle class but the 40 per cent of American families - more than seventy million people - whose income range from $5,000 to $10,000 a year (in 1971). They cannot be dismissed by labeling them blue collar or hard hat. They will not continue to be relatively passive and slightly challenging. If we fail to communicate with them, if we don't encourage them to form alliances with us, they will move to the right. Maybe they will anyway, but let's not let it happen by default.."
---"

And his methodology is carried out to the letter by Obama and his disciples:

"--- These were students who had been with Eugene McCarthy in New Hampshire and followed him across the country. Some had been with Robert Kennedy when he was killed in Los Angeles. Many of the tears that were shed in Chicago were not from gas. "Mr. Alinsky, we fought in primary after primary and the people voted no on Vietnam. Look at the convention. They're not paying any attention to the vote. Look at your police and the army. You still want us to work in the system?"

It hurt me to see the American army with drawn bayonets advancing on American boys and girls. But the answer I gave the young radicals seemed to me the only realistic one: "Do one of three things. One, go find a wailing wall and feel sorry for yourselves. Two, go psycho and start bombing--but this will only swing people to the right. Three, learn a lesson. Go home, organize, build power and at the next convention, you be the delegates." Remember: once you organize people around something as commonly agreed upon as pollution, then an organized people is on the move. From there it's a short and natural step to political pollution, to Pentagon pollution. ---"

http://latter-rain.com/ltrain/alinski.htm

[seekeronos]

Fred said:

"--- BTW, does anyone here know who signed Obie's pay checks while he was a CO, CA, or CI? For whom did he actually work? ---"

Good question.

I'd say follow the money from whoever was floating the ACORNistas of that time; I believe the Worker's World Party (socialist/neo-communist party) and the "Working Families Party" (still on the ballot as a local third party here in fusion-politics New York State)... have a lot to do with it.

[seekeronos]

More on the Alinsky-Obama connection...

B.O. follows the form to the letter:

"--- In 1985, he (Obama) moved to Chicago to work with local churches organizing job training and other programs for poor and working-class residents of Altgeld Gardens, a public housing project where 5,300 African-Americans tried to survive amid shuttered steel mills, a nearby landfill, a putrid sewage treatment plant, and a ****pervasive feeling that the white establishment of Chicago would never give them a fair shake****. ---"

(emphasis mine)

"--- Jerry Kellman, a social activist who recruited Obama, recalls, "He was very bright, very articulate, very personable, and very idealistic," inspired by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolence. Kellman offered Obama a job at the annual salary of $10,000, and he threw in $2,000 so Obama could buy a ramshackle car to get around. ---"

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070826/3obama.htm

[Worst President Ever]

So does this mean the press is no longer McSame's base?

[neelynzus]

I tried to post this comment to another Palin hit piece at Brian Ross' ABC Blotter today:

"Even Drudge has your number: "Name appearances on ABCNEWS.COM 'Blotter from Brian Ross and Investigative Team', Palin 24; McCain 2; Biden 1, Obama 0." All Palin articles negative. No mention that "troopergate" investigators/overseers Elston and French are connected to Obama's campaign until today, even though the conflict has been known for weeks. No mention of domestic violence allegations against Monegan. Etc,. etc. No balance. No fairness. No ethics."

It will not be posted. I have submitted comments repeatedly to ABC Blotter, including news tips, asking them to disclose the French-Obama connection. Some nice, some not so nice, all to no avail.

They even ran a piece about a "McCain supporter" who challenged the objectivity of the investigation without report that the basis of the challenge was the Obama connection.

The "referees" are not just calling the game for the Democrats, they are intercepting passes and scoring goals for them.

(I apologize if this is a double post, but the first effort disappeared from my screen)

[physics geek]

"If they don’t, then longtime accusations of Obama’s naked self-interest may doom an already flailing campaign."

That's assuming that these longtime accusations will get much play in the MSM between now and election day. I do not believe that that will be the case.

[Worst President Ever]

Looks like the bloom is off the Earmark Queen. Maybe she should hold a press conference to clear the air.

[seekeronos]

"--- The Chicago-based *Woods Fund* provided Kellman with his original $25,000 to hire Obama. In turn, Obama would later serve on the Woods board with terrorist Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground. Ayers was one of Obama's early political supporters. ---"

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=302137342405551

[seekeronos]

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obama-and-the-woods-fund/

[DirtCrashr]

Whatever tank it is, I'm pretty sure it's not an M1 Abrams. More likely since it's political, it's a septic tank.

[Stan]

So, what about Charles Krauthammer, George Will, and David Brooks criticizing McCain for selecting Palin? Weren't they in the conservative tank until last week?

[Moptop]

New verb: Dowdlerize: To take a comment and pare and trim the parts that make it mean the opposite of what you wish they would have said without use of elipses. Famously practiced, but certainly not invented by NYT columnist Maureen Dowd.

Worst President Ever, You seem to be a Democrat, I can tell by your handle which refers to Jimmy Carter, do you have a defense for Obama's selective use of quotes?

[moptop]

stan, I am sure that they would have had collective anyurisms had a Republican with zero accomplisments and only three years in the Senate ended up at the top of the ticket, as has happened with the Democrats.

Not only does he have no experience, but nobody can comb through his records as a state senator, the job he held when the famous vote on the war took place, because he destroyed all of his records.... I think you guys ought to give the whole experience thing a rest, seriously. Who do you think you are going to win over?

[Worst President Ever]

Do you have a defense for McCain / Palin's repeated lies?

For example:

"I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere"

[Anon]

What is really going to be scary is if the media is able to get Obama elected on the basis of reporting lies and distortions about McCain and Palin....where will they go from there?

They've called Palin and McCain "liar" more times in 2 weeks than the 8 years George Bush has been in office, and given that almost everything the Bush Administration has said could be construed as a lie....its an ominous sign.

If Obama gets elected and the media stays in the tank and continues to cheerlead whatever Obama does with no critical review...national socialism here we come.

[seekeronos]

"--- If Obama gets elected and the media stays in the tank and continues to cheerlead whatever Obama does with no critical review...national socialism here we come. ---"

I'd say that we will become like Red China more than Nazi Germany under Obama, by measure of your statement.

Little consolation this is though, to those of us who will have to eke out at least 4 years under that megalomaniac.

I don't think that even the media - so obviously hurtfully biased now, will be able to categorically bag this contest for Obama.

We may be seeing Divine Justice - the very Hand of God Himself - beginning to act:

If we are getting ripples in the market (DOW down 500+ points on Monday, up 150 Tuesday, down 300 today for a net loss of ~650 points) a month out from the normal election year October doldrums... if this points to a mid-October economic crash (as Takahiko Soejima predicts) on the scale of a 20%-50% devaluation of the Dow over the course of several days... then an Obama victory will be all but certain.

[Baxter Greene]

"Do you have a defense for McCain / Palin's repeated lies?

For example:

"I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere"

Posted by: Worst President Ever | Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 12:56 PM

You must mean the "Bridge to nowhere that Obama and Biden VOTED FOR"

Palin did what the democrats did not do,stop the bridge to nowhere:

Latest Lib Smear: Palin Was Not Against Bridge to Nowhere
My, they sure are having a difficult timing attacking this pro-gun, pro-Life, conservative mother of 5 who enjoys an 80% approval rating as Governor of Alaska.
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/08/latest-lib-smear-palin-was-not-against.html#comments
(Flickr)
The latest lib smear is that Palin did not oppose the "Bridge to Nowhere"

Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said Saturday that as projected costs for the Ketchikan bridge rose to nearly $400 million, administration officials were telling Ketchikan that the project looked less likely. Local leaders shouldn't have been surprised when Palin announced she was turning to less-costly alternatives, Leighow said. Indeed, Leighow produced a report quoting Palin, late in the governor's race, indicating she would also consider alternatives to a bridge.

a more detailed account of the 'FACTS' on this for Jimmy Carter's friend here:

TO: Interested Parties
RE: The True Story Of The Bridge To Nowhere
DATE: September 16, 2008
http://www.johnmccain.com/McCainReport/Read.aspx?guid=ab24d6d6-f796-4851-99ac-451d7567a5cc

Long before Sarah Palin became governor of Alaska, Congress had already appropriated the federal funding for the Ketchikan Bridge. While running for office, Palin said she would not stand in the way of infrastructure, but after her election, Palin took immediate action to stop the project. In her first budget, less than one month after becoming governor, Palin included no funds for the bridge project, saying that the state needed to make “wise, sensible choices.”

This is where liberals get the "for it before she was against"drivel.
While she was running,she stated she would not oppose infrastructure,when she was elected and able to get more detailed and inside facts on the situation,she shut it
down,unlike Obama and Biden who VOTED FOR IT.

Here is the timeline:

BRIDGE TO NOWHERE TIMELINE
2005
July 29: the Highway Reauthorization Bill, including the $223 million bridge to Ketchikan, AK, passed the United States Senate.
John McCain voted against the bill; Barack Obama supported it.
November 16: House and Senate negotiators took the rare step of eliminating a requirement that the federal funds be spent to build the Ketchikan Bridge.
December: the estimated costs of the Ketchikan Bridge reach $315 million.
2006
May: the estimated costs of the bridge now reach between $325 and $350 million.
July 27: gubernatorial candidate Sarah Palin denies the project is a “bridge to nowhere.”
September 21: Palin said the money for the bridge should remain available for “a link, an access process” for the island.
October 20: Palin’s spokesman confirmed she supported the Ketchikan Bridge Project.
December 4: Sarah Palin is sworn in as 11th Governor of Alaska.
December 15: Gov. Palin proposed her first budget which included no additional funds for the "Bridge to Nowhere" saying, "We need to make wise, sensible choices."
2007
January: The estimated costs of the bridge are reported to have ballooned to $400 million (79% increase from the original estimate of $223 million).
February 6: Gov. Palin's transition team released a memo that criticized the "Bridge to Nowhere" project, concluding that the project was "a severe drain on resources that would otherwise be assigned to heavily used commercial and passenger routes."
May 12: Alaska’s 2007 state budget included no additional funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" to cover the increase in costs.
August 18: Bridge to Nowhere put “on hold” by the Alaska Department of Transportation due to the political fallout and the lack of funding.
September 19: the Alaska Department of Transportation released a statement saying Gov. Palin ordered a halt to the bridge project.
September 21: Gov. Palin: “Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island."
September 22: Rep. Kyle Johansen, R-Ketchikan: “For somebody who touts process and transparency in getting projects done, I'm disappointed and taken aback … We worked 30 years to get funding for this priority project.”
September 24: “Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today celebrated a major victory over one of the most infamous pork barrel projects in recent history, the ‘Bridge To Nowhere.’ On September 19, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin (R) announced the state would abandon the project and focus on other transportation priorities.”
September 26: Anchorage Daily News Editorial: “Gov. Sarah Palin won few friends there with her decision to drop plans for the bridge, but she made the right call.”
September 27: U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-AK, criticized Gov. Palin for killing the bridge and described their relationship as “a little frosty.”
Sen. Stevens on Palin’s decision: “(It) may well jeopardize further funding by the Congress of any bridges in Alaska, which I think is a dangerous precedent.”
September 30: Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka: “Improving access to Gravina Island has been an economic priority for the community of Ketchikan, the state of Alaska and our congressional delegation for over 30 years. I'm shocked that the governor would ignore the significant energy, work and financial resources already invested in the project."
September 30: Lois Epstein, head of the Alaska Transportation Priorities Project, a watchdog group that monitors public transportation projects, praised Palin's action: “The move ensures that this controversial bridge will not be built."

There is more evidence of how absurd this pathetic allegation is from liberals:

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste: "Media reports that Congress killed the Bridge to Nowhere are not accurate. The 2006 transportation appropriations bill allowed Alaska to decide whether or not to move forward. Governor Murkowski said yes; Governor Palin said no. Any discussion about the project should begin with facts."
Governor's do not ask for earmarks, they ask for appropriations. Only members of Congress can ask for earmarks. Congress invented the game, makes the rules, doles out the pork and gets the graft. The giving and receiving are not morally equivalent.

Are you getting this liberal,I know your not used to actually using facts when you
sound off your idiotic democratic talking points,but here is some more:

On earmarks and Bridges to Nowhere
http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13236
From UC-San Diego Professor of economics, Garey Ramey, via email:
Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been criticized for lying in connection with terminating Alaska’s “Bridge to Nowhere” project. This charge, however, reflects widespread misunderstanding as to the nature of the infrastructure budgeting process. While the U.S. Congress did reverse its 2005 decision that had earmarked $223 million for the bridge project, the project itself was not removed from the state’s capital budget. A total of $113 million was budgeted to the bridge when Governor Palin assumed office in 2007.

She also apposed her own party in doing so,something Obama has not done:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/09/021462.php

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens is aggravated about what he sees as Gov. Sarah Palin's antagonism toward the earmarks he uses to steer federal money to the state. ... A common target for earmark snipers is the so-called "bridge to nowhere" plugged by Alaska Rep. Don Young into the five-year transportation bill in 2005. Congress stripped the earmarks directing the spending but let the state keep the money to use on the bridge if it wanted.
Palin ruffled feathers when she announced - without giving the delegation advance notice - that the state was killing the Ketchikan bridge to Gravina Island, site of the airport and a few dozen residents.

And last but certainly not least,SHE WAS CREDITED FOR THIS BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Alaska Democrats themselves say, on a web site attacking Senator Ted Stevens:
Gov. Palin recently cancelled the Gravina Island Bridge near Ketchikan that would have connected the Alaska mainland with Gravina Island (population: 50).

[Anon]

don't think that even the media - so obviously hurtfully biased now, will be able to categorically bag this contest for Obama.
-----------------------------------------------

I'm hoping for a media backlash, but if the media continues to only report negatives things about Palin and McCain and only positive things about Obama...it can't help but have an effect....and in a close election, a couple of percentage points is all it will take.

Clearly, if and when Obama is elected the public will be able to judge for themselves whether or not he's a closet socialist [which he is], and his policies to a degree will speak for themselves.

I don't know how much damage he can do in 4 years, but MAYBE it will motivate the Republicans to nominate a real conservative, not a 'maverick' who could do anything or a radical [Bush] who never met a federal power he didn't want to exercise and then some.

[seekeronos]

"--- I don't know how much damage he can do in 4 years, but MAYBE it will motivate the Republicans to nominate a real conservative, not a 'maverick' who could do anything or a radical [Bush] who never met a federal power he didn't want to exercise and then some. ---"

I'm hoping that we will get a true Robert Taft (the congressman from the 1940s, not the Coingate OH governor) Republican to run... someone like Chuck Baldwin or Ron Paul instead of these tired old party hacks who actually will pursue good government instead of lip service to the Constitution.

[jaime]

Approximate (and exeaggerated) tally of name appearances on the ABC News website at “The Blotter from Brian Ross and The Investigate Team” prior to the Republican Convention

Palin: 0

McCain: 8 hundred thousand (after hosting SNL)

Biden: 50 thousand

Obama: 5 hundred thousand

[Worst President Ever]

http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/31/sarah-palin-supported-ketchikan-bridge-nowhere-dur/

On Oct. 22, 2006, the Anchorage Daily News asked Palin and the other candidates, “Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?”

Her response: “Yes. I would like to see Alaska’s infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now — while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.”

Palin’s support of the earmark for the bridge was applauded by the late Lew Williams Jr., the retired Ketchikan Daily News publisher who wrote columns on the topic.

Williams wrote on Oct. 29, 2006, that Palin was the only gubernatorial candidate that year who consistently supported the Gravina Island Bridge, the Knik Arm Bridge and improvements to the Parks Highway.

[Lala]

BG - nice try but Jimmah isn't going to be able to digest all that. You'll see him soon on another thread saying the same exact thing just like sparty does.

[Worst President Ever]

From non-partisan Factcheck.org:

A Bridge Too Far

Palin claimed to have stood up to Congress on the subject of the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere,” the Gravina Island bridge in Ketchikan, Alaska, about which we wrote last November.

Palin: I told the Congress, "Thanks, but no thanks," on that bridge to nowhere.

This is not the first time Palin has cited her choice to kill the bridge in 2007 as an example of her anti-waste stance. It’s true that she did eventually nix the project. But the bridge was nearly dead already – Congress had removed the earmark, giving the requested money to the state but not marking it for any specific use. Palin unplugged its life support, declaring in 2007 that the funds would not be used for the Gravina bridge.

When she was running for governor, however, Palin expressed a different position. In 2006, the Ketchikan Daily News quoted her expressing optimism and support for the bridge at a Ketchikan campaign stop.

Palin, 2006: "People across the nation struggle with the idea of building a bridge because they’ve been under these misperceptions about the bridge and the purpose,” said Palin, who described the link as the Ketchikan area’s potential for expansion and growth. … Palin said Alaska’s congressional delegation worked hard to obtain funding for the bridge as part of a package deal and that she “would not stand in the way of the progress toward that bridge.”

Palin also answered "yes" to an Anchorage Daily News poll question about whether she would continue to support state funding for the Gravina Island bridge if elected governor. "The window is now," she wrote, "while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist." It was only after she won the governorship that Palin shifted her position. And even then, it’s inaccurate to say that she “told the Congress ‘thanks, but no thanks.’” Palin accepted non-earmarked money from Congress that could have been used for the bridge if she so desired. That she opted to use it for other state transportation purposes doesn’t qualify as standing up to Congress.

The bridge reversal is not the only matter throwing doubt on Palin’s credentials as a government waste reformer. Watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense has reported that the small town of Wasilla, Alaska, which had not previously received significant federal funds, hauled in almost $27 million in earmarks while Palin was mayor. (McCain has explicitly criticized several of the Wasilla earmarks in recent years.) To help obtain these earmarks, Palin had hired Steven Silver, the former chief of staff for recently indicted Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, as Wasilla’s lobbyist.

And Palin continued to solicit federal funds as governor. A request form on Stevens’ Web site shows that she requested $160.5 million in earmarks for the state in 2008, and almost $198 million for 2009.

[SacTownMan]

Come on LaLa you are "lying" again and picking on the hard working trolls.

It takes a lot of effort to keep typing the same talking points over and over like that!

Baxter my friend your attention to detail is to be commended, the only problem is the lingering trolls here have their marching orders and can't let the facts get in the way of their scripted smeer campaign

[templar knight]

Quoting from your own link, troll:

"It's true that she did eventually nix the project."

Enough said. She didn't lie. She either nixed the project or she didn't. Can't have it both ways, troll. Oh, but you have you orders from Soros, don't you, Worst? Carry on then, montagnard!

[Occam's Beard]

So what is the underlying story of the "in the tank" metaphor?

Boxing. A boxer throwing a fight was said to take a dive (to the canvas) after a punch. To go "into the tank" became a euphemism for taking a dive.

[Occam's Beard]

So what is the underlying story of the "in the tank" metaphor?

Boxing. A boxer throwing a fight was said to "take a dive" to the canvas after an apparent punch. To go "into the tank" became a eumphemism for taking a dive, as a popular circus act of the era was to dive off a high platform into a tank.

[papertiger]

Do we really know our enemy? Palin didn't have her own camera crew on set taping the Gibson interview. This is her only really glaring error in judgement that I can see.

When are GOP candidates going to get it through their thick skulls that the media is not their friend? The media isn't even a friend of democracy. The media isn't a friend of America. The media would report the fall of constitutional government with a smile on it's face.

If McCain/Palin keep believing the media gives a damn about the future, we will all suffer the consequences.

[Baxter Greene]

Wow!!,now that is a great rebuttal there "worst president ever Jimmy Carter's my man".

You call Palin's statement of killing the bridge to nowhere a lie.
I put up more than enough evidence and facts to show that your charge is bogus,Wall Street journal,Congressional record,and even democrats say Palin killed the bridge and you try to refute it with a post that states at the end,now wait...you are really
going to love this...I will state it very clearly so you can comprehend.....it...is...true...she...did....eventually....nix....the...project.

Wow!!, you really got to be a genius to refute the fact that she did not kill the
bridge to nowhere by posting a link that states she did kill the bridge to nowhere.

Just how far do you have to have your head stuck up your own a$$ to be in your "the
dumbest liberal ever" club.

The facts are the facts liberal,when Palin came into power,she had a choice to build
the bridge or not to build the bridge,she chose not to.

OBAMA AND BIDEN CHOSE TO BUILD THE BRIDGE.

So liberal,instead of making bogus accusations with your pathetic democratic talking
points,explain Obama's incredibly bad judgment in voting for this bridge to nowhere that you are so uptight about.

"And Palin continued to solicit federal funds as governor. A request form on Stevens’ Web site shows that she requested $160.5 million in earmarks for the state in 2008, and almost $198 million for 2009."
Posted by: Worst President Ever |

This liberal drivel about Palin and earmarks only shines the light on the fact that
the only way liberals can validate their opinions or ideology is to lie or cut and
paste information because the truth always smacks down their talking points:

Governors Cannot Earmark
http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/6220.html

As such, earmarks represent a flaw in the federal Congress, not the state governments. No one in state government can “request” an earmark. An official of a state government can only (1) apply for federal funds made available through existing federal legislation or (2) make an informal request to the state’s federal representatives that they argue for particular funding. In neither case is the governor responsible for how the federal government makes the funding available.
Trying to tie Palin to earmarks requires constructing a straw-man representation of her and McCain’s arguments in which they argue that the government should never spend federal money on specific state projects. Since they haven’t done so but, rather, merely argued for reforming the parliamentary procedure of the federal Congress, to make it more accountable, this article provides no new insight into Palin.

Palin has never said she never allocated money for her state as a governor or city as
a mayor,that is her job liberal.What she is fighting against is "wasteful"earmarks mainly obtained for doing political favors.Unlike Obama,who uses earmarks to put over
a million dollars into the hospital his wife worked for which she then miraculously
had her salary doubled.A large amount of Palin's earmarks are to cover Federally mandated obligations such as studies to help save polar bears and seal populations.
It really does not take a very high IQ to see that Palin has made serious reductions
in earmarks,fought corruption,and brought many jobs to the Alaskan population.
Getting things done and putting the people first probably has a lot to do with her 80% approval ratings as compared to the WORST CONGRESS IN HISTORY WITH THEIR 9% APPROVAL RATINGS.

"Parnell said Palin’s request for earmarks is less than half of what Murkowski sought in the year before his defeat.
“She’s driving down the number of earmarks that Alaska is requesting. The prior administration asked for about 63 earmarks when we came in. The requests are down to 31 earmarks this year,” he said. “This is not something you can just turn the switch on overnight and change. Change takes time, and our reformer is taking that step by step.”

You liberals are so pathetic running around in circles and shouting out your
big revelations OOOHHH....Palin really didn't have her baby....Palin thinks Iraq is
a holy war....Troopergate......Palin bought a tanning bed...Palin thinks there were dinosaurs 4000 yrs. ago.....OHHHHHHH!!!!!

She has liberals scared to death because she has taken the spotlight away from your
lightweight Jesus wannabe Obama.
America can relate to her and she that she is the real deal while they watch Obama
run around telling everybody we are in a depression then jets off to his $25,500 plate fund raisers.
You have to be an absolute moron to follow this snake oil salesman.

[SacTownMan]

Baxter says,

"You have to be an absolute moron to follow this snake oil salesman."

They are!

[Stephen]

Throughout much of this political season, officials from both campaigns have accused the media of bias toward one candidate or the other. Specifically, McCain’s camp has blasted MSNBC for its liberal bias. Obama has targeted Fox News and other journalists who have attempted to smear him.
Both men have valid reasons to accuse the media of bias. MSNBC has had some of its commentators fawn over Obama for months now. But we hear about accusations of media bias in every election, from every campaign. The interesting thing is that the public is now listing it as an important issue.
A Rasmussen Reports poll released in August shows that 55 percent of people said media bias is a bigger problem than large campaign contributions. Has the media’s reputation been sullied so much that campaign finance is less of an issue than the bias of a media organization?
The percentages vary depending on political party. 81 percent of Republicans surveyed said that the media bias is a bigger issue than campaign contributions. The Democrats are more divided, 50 percent think campaign contributions are more important.
I just can’t understand how people can say that media bias is a more important issue than politicians skirting the rules to gain some extra cash. Sure we have seen some blatant bias in the coverage during this election season. News organizations seem to allow more editorializing, which is not surprising because it gets nice ratings. The real issue is the kind of control these campaigns have over the media. It seems as if the media are taking at face value the talking points that are being released to them. Few media members are fact-checking the statements made by either candidate. When’s the last time you saw some investigative journalism during the campaign?

[llorydwood]

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