After having been caught flat footed by the choice of Sarah Palin as the VP pick, Team Obama and surrogates have been scrambling this weekend to catch up. In looking over the various stories posted, there appear to be two themes:
- Palin is inexperienced
- Palin campaigned for Gov. supporting the “Bridge to nowhere” and flip flopped after she won.
I don’t want to spend much time on the first issue except to say, Geraldine Ferraro. Geraldine Ferraro had an entire 6 years of elected experience as a Congressional Representative from New York when she was tapped to be VP. Evidently, 6 years of elected experience is adequate but nearly 8 years as Mayor and Governor (not counting 4 more years as City Council Person) aren’t enough. I love that new math!
What about the Bridge to nowhere?
I’ve read enough accounts that it appears sure that during her Gubernatorial campaign, Palin supported the bridge. I’m also convinced that Palin changed her mind on the Bridge sometime in 2007. However, I don’t think the “flip-flop” description fits on this one.
There appear to be a couple of different accounts as to why Palin changed her mind on the Bridge to Nowhere. The first is provided by this article from the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner:
As for the bridge money, Palin contacted Young the day after the Minnesota bridge collapse about giving them the Ketchikan funds, Leighow said.
Young advised her that he thought it would violate public law and the subject did not come up again. Staff members who were present during their meetings said they had no recollection of the governor suggesting the funds could be used for other transportation projects in Alaska.
The second is outlined in this article from Business Wire:
Treat: To Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R) for announcing the state would drive a stake through the heart of the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” and focus on other transportation priorities. Gov. Palin directed the Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a list of other uses for the $36 million in federal money that will be freed up with the desertion of the project. The DOT will also work to come up with a more financially responsible solution, such as improved ferry services, to serve the residents of Gravina Island. “Bridge to Nowhere,” RIP.
So what do we have?
Either Palin rejected the Bridge to Nowhere because she thought the Federal Government could better use the funds elsewhere i.e. a major arterial that had just collapsed and needed replacing, or she felt that the price tag had gotten too high and that there were more cost efficient ways to solve the problem.
Washington is filled with people who believe that their entire value is determined by how much money they control. It’s filled with people who’s solution to every problem is to take more of other people’s money and throw it at their particular pet project.
Isn’t it refreshing to see an elected official actually use their brain, and the judgement we elected them for, and say “Hey, I know we were headed this way, but the circumstances have changed. Let’s find another solution!” In Washington, a person who tries that tack will either be labelled a “Maverick” or “inexperienced.”
If thinking that includes common sense, comes from “inexperience,” sign me up for a whole lot more of it!
