Obama rebukes Palin on earmarks
Originally published Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 11:56 a.m.
Updated Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 2:57 p.m.
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Stumble It!TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Barack Obama made his first direct criticism of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin on Saturday, saying she pretends to oppose spending earmarks when she actually has embraced them.
Speaking to 800 people at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds in Terre Haute, Ind., the Democratic presidential nominee ridiculed John McCain and his running mate, the Alaska governor, for describing themselves as agents of change at this week's GOP convention.
"Don't be fooled," Obama told the crowd surrounding him in a large barn. "John McCain's party, with the help of John McCain, has been in charge" for nearly eight years.
"I know the governor of Alaska has been saying she's change, and that's great," Obama said. "She's a skillful politician. But, you know, when you've been taking all these earmarks when it's convenient, and then suddenly you're the champion anti-earmark person, that's not change. Come on! I mean, words mean something, you can't just make stuff up."
McCain has vowed to wipe out earmarks, which are targeted funding for specific projects that lawmakers put into spending bills. As governor, Palin originally supported earmarks for a controversial $398 million Alaska project dubbed the "bridge to nowhere." But she dropped her support after the state's likely share of the cost rose. She hung onto $27 million to build the approach road to the bridge.
Under Palin's leadership, Alaska this year asked for almost $300 per person in requests for pet projects from one of McCain's top adversaries: indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. That's more than any other state received, per person, from Congress for the current budget year. Other states got just $34 worth of local projects per person this year, on average, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based watchdog group.The state government's earmark requests to Congress in her first year in office exceeded $550 million, more than $800 per resident. Palin actually reduced the state government's requests for special projects this year in the wake of President Bush's demand for a cutback in earmarks.
Alaska also has become so accustomed to largess flowing from Congress through Stevens that most of Palin's earmark requests this year - such as studies of Alaskan fisheries, grants to combat drug trafficking, and rural airport upgrades - simply keep ongoing programs going. Among her requests was $150,000 to pay the travel bills of state and fisheries industry representatives on the boards that implement North Pacific fisheries agreements.
Until Saturday, Obama had refrained from criticizing Palin directly, saying only that she, like McCain, would continue the Bush administration's policies.
Democrats have debated how to deal with Palin. They want to avoid charges of sexism but find ways to highlight what they see as her political weaknesses.
Obama delivered some of his most withering criticisms yet of McCain, although he did so with chuckles and an air of mock disbelief. McCain has acknowledged voting with President Bush 90 percent of the time in Congress, Obama said.
"And suddenly he's the change agent? Ha. He says, 'I'm going to tell those lobbyists that their days of running Washington are over.' Who is he going to tell? Is he going to tell his campaign chairman, who's one of the biggest corporate lobbyists in Washington? Is he going to tell his campaign manager, who was one of the biggest corporate lobbyists in Washington?"
"I mean, come on, they must think you're stupid," Obama said as the crowd laughed and cheered.
The McCain campaign noted that Obama has steered numerous earmarks to his state of Illinois. However, Obama has not been the critic of earmarks that McCain and, more recently Palin, have been.
Obama said Republicans are targeting his character, and he criticized McCain for saying he would reduce the partisan rancor in Washington. Pretending to address McCain, he said, "Did you pay attention to the last two days of your convention? Were you not watching?"
"When you start just focusing exclusively on trying to tear the other person down instead of what you are going to do on behalf of the American people to deal with this economy," Obama said, "then that's not serving Democrats, that's not serving Republicans, that's not serving anybody."
Community Discussion
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Obama is right,listen to the guy. I am a white middle aged woman and Palin scares me as a person who uses her place to her own personal good not our country as a whole.Obama is a man who is looking out for Americans.The poor economy in many States is because of the policies of Bush,who McCain has agreed to 90% of the time.Our rights from everything to labor laws ,wages and health,not to mention the high costs of everything and the lack of pay raises to keep up, are all because of poor decision making from people who have no idea what it is like to be the average citizen raising a family.The promises of the Republicans are based on hot air as many of them are just trying to keep there money out of the hands of shared prosperity for the majority,might hurt their profits for there 8th and 9th houses etc..Slavery was in America for years for the same reasons until Abe Lincoln,who would be a democrat in today's party policy lines. As someone from Abe Lincoln's home state, I was disgusted that the Republicans even claimed him as one of their own! He is probably rolling over in his grave as slavery is alive and well in Florida .on the farms that gave us cheap produce on the backs of illegal immigrants who were enslaved and beaten and chained in trucks to keep them from escaping.Thank God they escaped to tell us what was going on and you can bet with the poor economy this kind of practice is more wide spread than we know ! It is time to get out your Bible ,if In God WE TRUST is what we really believe because it clearly directs us against many of the policies we have lived under in the past 8 years! Abortion is going to look like small potatoes when we find out what is happening to to the average already born parents and older children and their futures without access to affordable healthcare.They will die plain and simple and if they actually get life saving care they will live in debt for it and perhaps become homeless trying to pay the bill.Wake up people it is not time to play I like, you like, it is about the survival of a country ,our greatest threat is not terrorists but within our own country that has forgotten what democracy is and what our forefathers fought for. Is it any wonder other countries look at us as a place that is failing when once we were considered other's hope and inspiration? WAKE UP ,please brothers and sisters in God WAKE UP Do not let people with money and power terrorize people without money and power ,it is not American. God Bless in good conscience and silent no more prayer.
Sen. McCain said he would make those that request earmarks "famous!" If that's the case, when will he start bashing Gov. Palin and Alaska?
Wait a minute.
I thought Obama was running for president
and Palin for VICE- president.
Isn't the main issue between McCain/Obama
not so much as Obama/Palin?
Now as I see it- unless McCain dies during the
campaign process, and Palin steps up to run for President,
shouldn't Obama be going after McCain?
UNLESS----- Obama really is scared of Palin because she MAY be able to do what he can't?
AND Doesn't it seem strange as mentioned before, Mr. Joe Biden has run and LOST(!) 2 times for presidency and NOW is trying to get to it through the Vice-Presidency so he can run AGAIN (!) in 4 years for the Presidential Office !
That scares me! Shiver!!!!!
Peace
Its funny that John McCain is yelling change all of a sudden after introducing Sarah Palin to the campaign
BigMike, do some research. The DNM, the ADN, the AP, the New York Times, the Washington Post and numerous other newspapers and columnists across the country have written their own stories about Palin's flip-flopping on the earmark issue.
The media attributes $26.9 M in earmarks to the City of Wasilla. Looking at earmarks for the area, all federal spending is automatically attributed to Mayor Palin. Yet most of the money is AKRR, AKDOT and other projects. (Data from Taxpayers for Common Sense)
$27,250,000 attributed to Wasilla area during 1996-2002 including AKRR, DOT, Borough, City, etc. on the data sheet
$5,750,000 might be assigned to the City of Wasilla requests
$21,500,000 others
Specifics:
Not City Earmarks (?)
$1,000,000 Transportation FY2000 Wasilla intermodal facility
$15,000,000 Transportation FY2001 Girdwood to Wasilla, Alaska, commuter rail project
$500,000 Transportation FY2002 Federal lands: Mat-Su Borough/Wasilla, Alaska
$2,500,000 Transportation FY2002 New starts: Wasilla, Alaska, alternative route project
$900,000 Omnibus FY2003 Wasilla Intermodal Facility
$800,000 Omnibus FY2003 Wasilla Airport, AK
$800,000 Omnibus FY2003 Mananuska-Susitna Borough for an agricultural processing facility in Wasilla, Alaska
City Earmarks (?)
$500,000 VA-HUD FY2001 Kids are People, Inc. for a transitional living program for homeless youth and an emergency shelter in Wasilla, Alaska
$500,000 Omnibus FY2001 Life Quest Community Mental Health Center in Wasilla, Alaska
$1,000,000 CJS FY2002 Wasilla Regional Dispatch Center in Alaska for technology and communications upgrades
$600,000 Transportation FY2002 Bus and bus facilities: City of Wasilla bus facility
$1,500,000 VA-HUD FY2002 Wasilla, Alaska water and sewer improvements
$750,000 Omnibus FY2003 City of Wasilla, Alaska for a regional dispatch center
$900,000 Omnibus FY2003 Wasilla, Alaska for water and sewer improvements
Also,
On Senate earmarks for 2008, AK $664 M, IL $ 723 M (primarilly submitted by Sen. Durbin as Mr. Obama was not at work that year)
Barack Hussein Obama has a new script written, no doubt, by Bill Clinton's former speechwriter. Lets see... It only took Barack Hussein Obama's handlers a week or so to put the words of their choice into "The Barack Hussein Obama's" mouth. We all know he cannot think on his feet so since he may not have had a teleprompter he undoubtedly had to memorize large segments of the "speech" so that he would not let his handlers down. Pretty pathetic that Barack Hussein Obama has taken on the servant's role so easily. LAME.
the story is rubbish and so is the 1st comment.
It also appears that not all Alaskans support John Sidney McCain and Sarah Louise Palin. Gets scary for republicans when the truth comes out. They have to resort to negativity to shift the blame off of themselves. Either that or the fear factor.
Andrew Briseno....Senator Obama is more involved in writing his own speeches than any candidate in recent memory. Of course, like any good orator, he rehearses his own speeches but is also fine tuning them up to the last moment.
I like MSNBC's Chris Matthew's comment after Obama's speech. He said ""I've taken a lot of heat from my critics for saying Obama inspires me with his speeches. Well, my critics can go to hell." Mr. Matthews is a former Republican presidential speechwriter.
In contrast, Palin's speech was jerky in a few spots when the teleprompter was hanging up. And her speech was written by GW's speech writers, the very man from whom she is supposedly distancing herself from!
Interesting they never research or breakdown the earmarks to clarify which are required funding for ongoing and mandated federal projects adminstered by a state or university such as fishery management and research, marine mammals protection act, Corps of Engineers maintenance of harbors, airport maintenance, etc. Instead, if it is requested, it must be pork.
Not all expenses are included in the federal budget thus each state might request earmarks and other requests (water systems, school construction, bike paths, museums, etc.)
Funny the first commenter just started today with this comment....
From the shear volume of new 1 time posts I will bet dollars to a donuts it is the same hack - probably a paid blogger for Barry O
Too funny....
That's just silly Sniffles, considering the personal attacks Sarah threw at Obama the other night, I think she definitely opened herself up. It is however worth noting that Sarah's attacks on Obama were mostly personal attacks while Obama's attack on Sarah is on policy and his immediate response to the personal attacks on Sarah's family was "Leave the family out of this."
You can't have it both ways, if she's going to be the "Pitbull," someone is going to have to be the dogcatcher (and also pick up all the Pit bull s...)
Whats the significance of mentioning his middle name all the time?
Is there any common sense left in the American people? Like I been saying McCain is another Bush in a disguise! We are set for another trap by the Republicans! They are toward distroying our freedom as middle class Americans!
Motherofsons
"Our rights from everything to labor laws ,wages and health,not to mention the high costs of everything and the lack of pay raises to keep up, are all because of poor decision making from people who have no idea what it is like to be the average citizen raising a family."
**
"Are all because of poor decision making from people who have no idea what it is like to be the average citizen raising a family."
***
Those "people" are the average citizen that "votes". Poor decision making from people who don't use offical sites to research presidential candidates. Reality is "The Associated Press" political articles control many votes. Or political parties articles & web sites.
Which presidential candidate is this:
Who's groups were instrumental in enacting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. ?
Which presidential candidate is this:
Who is credited with getting Congress to enact the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which created the first mandatory federal safety standards for vehicles?
Which presidential candidate is this:
Who also lobbied for the 1970 Clean Air Act and the 1967 Wholesome Meat Act, which led the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection of beef and poultry?
Or:
Who was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential Americans in the Twentieth Century?
We take so many daily things for granted. Or lose ourselves to a "party". Most don't stand alone to sort thru the influential facts.
Wisechief, how is the Kool-aid? You are one the biggest one side, non logical posters on here. Now, you just said the majority of Alaskans (the Repubs) are setting a trap for you? Quit being so melodramatic. Whether you're a Democrat, Republican, or one of the other parties, if you are from Alaska, you KNOW Palin is not part of the good ole boy network. She even supported her second in his bid against Don Young.
Yes, she is part of the same party...anyone that pulls the lever strictly party line without giving thought to the particular candidate is an imbecile in my opinion. Is that you?
Who was Instrumental in the passing of the following legislation:
Clean Air Act
Clean Water Act
Consumer credit disclosure law
Consumer Product Safety Act
Co-Op Bank Bill
Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Freedom of Information Act
Funeral home cost disclosure law
Law establishing Environmental Protection Agency
Medical Devices safety
Mine Health and Safety Act
Mobile home safety
National Automobile and Highway Traffic Safety Act
National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act
Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act
Nuclear power safety
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
Pension protection law
Safe Water Drinking Act
Tire safety & grading disclosure law
Whistleblower Protection Act
Wholesome Meat Act
Wholesome Poultry Product Act
Long list that touchs my life how about your life?
Organizations founded or helped started by Who?
American Antitrust Institute
Appleseed Foundation
Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest
Aviation Consumer Action Project
Buyers Up
Capitol Hill News Service
Center for Auto Safety
Center for Insurance Research
Center for Justice and Democracy
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for Study of Responsive Law
Center for Women Policy Studies
Citizen Action Group
Citizen Advocacy Center
Citizen Utility Boards
Citizen Works
Clean Water Action Project
Congress Project
Congress Watch
Connecticut Citizen Action Group
Corporate Accountability Research Group
Critical Mass Energy Project
Democracy Rising
Disability Rights Center
Equal Justice Foundation
Essential Information
FANS (Fight to Advance the Nation's Sports)
Foundation for Taxpayers and Consumer Rights
Freedom of Information Clearinghouse
Georgia Legal Watch
Global Trade Watch
Health Research Group
Litigation Group
Multinational Monitor
National Citizen's Coalition for Nursing Home Reform
National Coalition for Universities in the Public Interest
National Insurance Consumer Organization
Ohio Public Interest Action Group
Organization for Competitive Markets
Pension Rights Center
Princeton Project 55
PROD - truck safety
Public Citizen
Retired Professionals Action Group
Shafeek Nader Trust for the Community Interest
Student Public Interest Research Groups nationwide
Tax Reform Research Group
Telecommunications Research and Action Center
The Visitor's Center
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Now that all adds up as awesome earmarks for everyone's life.
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