McCain wrong on Palin earmarks

The Republican presidential nominee said his running mate did not seek them as governor of Alaska. But in fact, she asked for $198 million in February; that was down millions from last year.
By Tom Hamburger and Maeve Reston
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

September 12, 2008

NEW YORK — John McCain got it wrong Friday when he asserted that his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, had not requested any earmarks, the spending directives lawmakers insert in spending bills that McCain has vowed to eliminate.

Palin, in fact, requested $198 million in federal earmarks in February, including such expenses as $487,000 to fight obesity in Alaska and $4 million to develop recreational trails.

By day's end, the McCain campaign backed down from the claim the GOP presidential candidate made on the ABC television show "The View."

"Sen. McCain was in the throes of a discussion about her record of reforming government, which includes drastic cuts in wasteful spending in the Alaska state budget," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds. "If he gave viewers a mistaken impression, it certainly wasn't intentional or without some basis in fact."

Palin's approach to earmarks has been much closer to the views of Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, than of McCain, who wants to end the entire earmark system.

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