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Rogue Fact: Palin, without elaboration, calls Bridge to Nowhere a "lie"

November 16, 2009 4:26 pm ET — 5 Comments

On Page 237 of her memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life, Sarah Palin writes that shortly after she was tapped as Sen. John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential race, the media began reporting "one lie after another -- from rape kits to Bridges to Nowhere. All easy enough to disprove if the press had done its job." Palin offered no explanation as to what "lies" the press reported about the Bridge to Nowhere -- indeed, some in the media corrected Palin's false claims that she opposed the bridge.

Palin: Press should have corrected Bridge to Nowhere "lie"

From Page 237 of Going Rogue:

The book-banning story flared quickly and didn't completely fizzle out even after lists of books I'd supposedly wanted to ban circulated on the Internet. The list included books that hadn't even been published at the time. It was one lie after another -- from rape kits to Bridges to Nowhere. All easy enough to disprove if the press had done its job. The campaign was immediately overwhelmed, though, and the Alaska GOP (still run by Randy Ruedrich) had apparently decided to sit this one out.

Media corrected Palin's Bridge to Nowhere falsehoods

Palin: "Thanks but no thanks" on bridge. In her very first appearance as McCain's running mate on August 29, 2008, Palin gave a speech in which she said: "I signed major ethics reform. And I appointed both Democrats and independents to serve in my administration. And I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress -- I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' on that bridge to nowhere."

Palin's statement completely false. Media outlets reporting on Palin's speech noted that Palin, as a candidate for governor in 2006, reportedly expressed support on several occasions for the bridge project and suggested that Alaska's congressional delegation should continue to try to procure funding. Moreover, as governor, Palin was in no position to reject the bridge project -- Congress had already appropriated the money to Alaska and left it to the state government to decide whether to spend it on the bridge. Palin did not refuse the funds or reimburse the federal government; Alaska reportedly kept the federal funds.

— S.S.M.
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    • Author by Diosnomeama (November 16, 2009 4:38 pm ET)
      7 1
      She's lying about her lies and distortions, because she knows that a vast majority of the people that support her will do so even if a mountain of evidence is shoved down their throats. They don't need facts, she's one of them! She said so, so it must be true!
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    • Author by only_myschly3567 (November 16, 2009 4:50 pm ET)
      5 3
      Well if Palin says it's true, then obviously everyone who says otherwise is a liberal unamerican Marxist! Just look at all the voices opposed, Democrat, New York Times, and some of these people are just Fascist Communists who are trying to convince Obama to make a law to make Palins book illegal, which would've happened if we didn't have a few strong Republicans in Congress!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by WildcatProgressive (November 17, 2009 9:38 am ET)
        1 1
        That's pretty funny. I don't know who gave you a thumbs-down: either someone who lacks the ability to spot sarcasm, or a Fox News watcher who CAN spot sarcasm.
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    • Author by thaneb (November 17, 2009 12:46 pm ET)
      2  
      Document review showed that as part of line-item oversight of the Wasilla budget, Palin shifted the cost of rape kits from the police department to the victims in her budget for fiscal year 2000. What, specifically, is Palin's problem with the rape kit story?
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    • Author by pros2pros2940 (November 17, 2009 2:40 pm ET)
      1  
      Modern Republicans do live in a world of their own where Reagan didn't triple the debt and Dubya didn't double it.

      A world where Reagan only cut taxes versus the reality that he raised taxes 7 times and even......gasp, raised them during a recession.
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