Spare the messenger, but kill the message

GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin's boast of stopping the bridge to nowhere is coming back like a boomerang:

(via the AP, H/t to TPM)

At a rally in swing state Missouri, the Republican presidential nominee and his running mate accused Obama of requesting nearly $1 billion in earmarks for his state during his time as a senator. The new line of attack came after Obama made his first direct criticism of Palin over the weekend, using the topic of earmarks, which are special projects that lawmakers try to get for their districts and constituents.

"Just the other day our opponent brought up earmarks — and frankly I was surprised that he would even raise the subject at all," Palin said. "I thought he wouldn't want to go there."

Obama hasn't asked for any earmarks this year. Last year, he asked for $311 million worth, about $25 for every Illinois resident. Alaska asked this year for earmarks totaling $198 million, about $295 for every Alaska citizen.

and again from the AP

"I told the Congress 'thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere," she said in her convention speech last week.

That's not what she told Alaskans when she announced a year ago that she was ordering state transportation officials to ditch the project. Her explanation then was that it would be fruitless to try to persuade Congress to come up with the money.

"It's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island," Palin said then.

Palin indicated during her 2006 campaign for governor that she supported the bridge, but was wishy-washy about it. She told local officials that money appropriated for the bridge "should remain available for a link, an access process as we continue to evaluate the scope and just how best to just get this done."

Wiser heads than me have pointed out that the the discussion cannot be about Palin, or the counter is just too easy (e.g. "How dare you attack this patriotic mother of five??!!")

Take her message of financial responsibility and juxtapose it with her advocating for the bridge to nowhere.

TPM is way ahead of me:



McCain is easier to skewer - since he's not media shy and has been around forever. You're a reformer? You're going to change Washington? Let's talk about how many lobbyists you have in your inner circle...

Looks like Obama's campaign is way ahead of me too