The real politics of the Bridge to Nowhere....

Several years ago, after a fishing trip on Prince Edward Island, as I was standing in line at the airport on Gravina Island, waiting to catch a flight home to Portland, a man in line several persons ahead of me suddenly collapsed from a heart attack or stroke. Airport personnel worked feverishly to resuscitate him while they waited for an ambulance from Ketchikan. The man died before the ambulance could get there. Perhaps he would have died even if a bridge had been in place to speed the arrival of the ambulance. But a question has haunted me ever since. What will happen if a catastrophic air accident occurs on the island? How will emergency vehicles get there on time to evacuate the injured? Given that possibility, and the heavy air traffic around Ketchikan, both private and commercial, I wonder how anyone could call the proposed Gravina Island bridge "a bridge to nowhere."

"Don't Blame Me-I Didn't Vote for Her" makes more sense. This can be a multi level use bumper sticker.

Andrew, your forum is valueable. I have information that I would love to add to these discussions as a DPS insider. I obviously have to be careful, because I would simply and certainly be fired for speaking out. Is there a way to post the account of the truth about the "governor's jet" It is another interesting story that speaks to poor judgement. It is too long for a blog spot.

Is that t-shirt she is wearing in support of the Bridge to nowhere?

Andrew, could you please send me 10 (ten) of the "DON'T BLAME ME, I VOTED FOR HALCRO" bumper stickers... I want to get some for myself and my relatives ahead of the demand...

It's disturbing that she lied to the country within the first few sentences after McCain introduced her. They both left the impression that she was such a steward of public money that she wasn't about to waste it on the bridge to nowhere. They also left the impression that the money was returned. We know congress changed the earmark to allow the money to be used on other things and the state kept the money. However, the earmark for the road leading to the bridge wasn't changed and if the money wasn't used for the road, it would have to be returned. So now we have the road to nowhere. A rule crusader is Gov Palin.

Mr. Halcro, something I'd love to see here is your viewpoint on the person, Sarah Palin.....what is this woman really like and what is her temperament? I've been doing alot of reading here, but frankly there's just too much too absorb. A comprehensive overview would be extremely fascinating. Is she intellectually curious and dives into the policy she is responsible for, or does she simply bone up enough to get by for a speech to come off looking good and then drop it? How does she take criticism? Is she willing to give opposing viewpoints a fair hearing or does she take it as a personal affront? Is she cool headed or impulsive? Fair and forgiving or is she vindictive? As you know, if the right circumstances prevail, she could end up as president of the United States and quite frankly I'm pretty nervous about her. The economic situation is very serious and complex, and I simply don't see how Gov. Palin could step in prepared to deal with what's on our plate. Added to that, I shudder to think of Palin vs Putin or how she might deal with a nuclear armed and politically turbulent Pakistan. The list goes on and it's scary as heck to think of this woman in the hands of the same crew that advocated invading Iraq. Thank you.

Good Christ. A politician changed positions when it was expedient? What's next, dog bites man? Let's get back to more important stuff like Todd getting a DUI before they were married.

Say, what wise decisions DID we make with other people's money? Did we really figure out how to build up our infrastructure wisely? I sure would like to hear more from the folks in the Ketchican area. . . Don't be afraid, folks, go ahead & let it rip, she isn't here anymore & may not be returning to the great state since she's potentially gonna be in DC from now on. It will be interesting to hear what the speechwriters have cooked up for her to say tonight.

Has anyone wondered if Palin is elected (and hopefully she won't be), if she would even move to Washington??? Someone on one of the news stations stated that Palin was so great for letting the staff (cook) go (at the Governor's mansion in Juneau) because she is so down to earth...blah blah blah---She didn't even move to Juneau, so obviously there is no need to have a cook at the mansion. Anything that makes you "look" good eh Palin?

That picture could be very damaging. So, people need to make sure it is real and not something photoshopped, altered, ... etc. How do you know it is real? While I have serious doubts about Sarah Palin, her record and qualifications, I wouldn't want to see her VP nomination (and McCain's chances) collapse on the basis of a fabrication. Assurances of authenticity, please.

The photo was taken at the Republican Headquarters in Ketchikan in September of 2006....hence the Don Young sign in the back.

Palin's own DOT cannot say. That's why Legislative Budget and Audit approved an audit of the project to get an idea as to where the money spent on the project went.

Palin keeps saying she stopped the "Bridge to Nowhere" and that she wanted to use the earmarked money for more sensible projects. I want to know just how that money was actually spent.

I flew into Ketchikan a couple of weeks ago and it seems the state is constructing the road to the "bridge to nowhere" on the Gravina Island side. This looks like a major construction undertaking. Without a bridge, this "Road to Nowhere" seems even stupider than the "Bridge to Nowhere."

Blogged over on Blue Hampshire . A real catch by Alaskan blogger Andrew Halcro. This blog nails Palin on the whole “Bridge to Nowhere” flip-flop. But there is a gem nestled in the linked Charlie Rose interview. (which I linked separately) -snip

 

A conversation with Governors Janet Napolitano & Sarah Palin While discussing the development of Alaskan energy resources, Gov. Palin reveals that there are obstacles put up by interests “from the east coast, ya.” ( Starting at 3:54) Palin: , but we’re not given the ability, right now, or, or, I guess, the permission by some to go ahead and develop those resources and flow that oil and gas into the rest of United States of America. Rose wonders is it the “conservationists” or “Washington?” Palin: In some respects, in some respects, but also, some of the larger oil companies, who hold the leases and have the right to develop our resources. Who may look at Alaska’s resources as being in competition with their foreign sources of energy that they’re developing.

Rose's webpage dates this video on 10/12/2007. This is waaay before the GOP glommed on to the "drill,drill,drill" parroting that became the rage in the Spring of '08, IIRC. So here, Sarah shows true neo-con instincts, pushing the "stop funding foreign gov'ts" and pre-emptively striking the "drill,drill,drill" talking point by siding with Nancy Pelosi and the " use it or lose it" merry band of minstrels in the Congress. Sarah is Tres Maverique! Pssst. That is French for Very Maverick, Gov. Palin. ;v)

I just heard an advertisement that claimed Sarah Palin cut the budget in Alaska...

Incredible. We are going to see this picture everywhere in a couple hours. James Carville will be holding it up next to the Wasilla City Hall photo.

Deanna Garrison (of Ketchikan public radio) recorded her campaign speech - the "its NOT a bridge to nowhere!" and on and on one. Has anyone asked her if they still have that recording? Sept. 20th 2006.

Campaign money hurts Palin's outsider image By MATT APUZZO Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) _ With the speech of her life looming Wednesday night, a burst of new revelations has raised more questions about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and how carefully she was scrutinized by the McCain campaign. For one thing, it was reported that she accepted at least $4,500 in campaign contributions in the same fundraising scheme at the center of a public corruption scandal that led to the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens. As Palin campaigned unsuccessfully in 2002 to become lieutenant governor, she received contributions from executives at VECO Corp., a powerful Alaska oil field services company. But they show how Palin, a self-proclaimed champion for clean government, has been part of a political system in Alaska that now is under the cloud of an ongoing FBI investigation. In the fundraising corruption probe, VECO founder Allen is cooperating in an FBI investigation that has already sent several state political figures to prison. He is expected to be the Justice Department's star witness at Stevens' trial later this month when he testifies about home renovations and other gifts he provided the longtime senator — gifts Stevens is charged with concealing on Senate documents. GOP convention Monday when she announced through the McCain campaign that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant. But Palin didn't reach the governor's office picking fights with the Senate's longest-serving Republican. She was a director for a nonprofit group Stevens set up to increase the number of Republican women in government. Stevens also campaigned for Palin in 2006 and appeared in a political advertisement for her. The donations aren't evidence of corruption and Palin is not among the lawmakers under investigation in the VECO case. The contributions, made during Palin's failed 2002 bid to become Alaska's lieutenant governor, were not illegal for her to accept. This is what passes as a real story….AND Halcrow you are part of it...its really sick... ZMAN

..Zman, all of these things in this story are factual. What's your point?

Are you listening and finding more truths about Sarah Palin? I hope so. If you want more info about how she treated the citizens in Southeastern Alaska, pull back the records on how she refused to declare a disaster when an avalalanche took out the power feed from a dam and Alaska's capitol city and it's surrounding area was out of electric power last winter. Yet, she pitched in to save Alaska's Mat Maid dairy for her chums in the "Valley", which eventually went belly up with a lot of questions of where did all the equipment just sort of way vanish.