Everyone seems to be attacking John McCain for not adequately vetting Sarah Palin. Maybe we misjudged him on this one. Considering how McCain’s campaign is now based upon lying, and repeating the same lies once caught, maybe he knew what he was doing in picking Palin. Today The Washington Post’s fact checker gave Palin Four Pinocchios for lying about Alaska’s role in providing energy. What is remarkable about this is that this occurred after these lies were already exposed by Factcheck.org. Their report concludes:
After nonpartisan Factcheck.org pointed out Palin’s error in her interview with Gibson, the governor revised her statement somewhat, limiting it to oil and gas. But data compiled by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) contradict her claim that she oversees “nearly 20 percent” of oil and gas production in the country. According to authoritative EIA data, Alaska accounted for 7.4 percent of total U.S. oil and gas production in 2005.
It is not even correct for Palin to claim that her state is responsible for “nearly 20 percent” of U.S. oil production. Oil production has fallen sharply in Alaska during her governorship. The state’s share of total U.S. oil production fell from 18 percent in 2005 to 13 percent this year, according to the EIA.
The McCain-Palin campaign did not respond to a request for an explanation.
THE PINOCCHIO TEST
The Republican vice presidential nominee continues to peddle bogus statistics three days after the original error was pointed out by independent fact-checkers.
There are also people in Alaska who are getting fed up with Palin’s dishonesty. The Anchorage Daily News has an op-ed entitled No one is above the truth, even Palin. Republican Don Fagan writes:
You really can’t experience the full effect of Monday’s news conference featuring Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton unless you hear it for yourself. Stapleton passionately attacked former Commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan. Her rhetoric was plain, desperate, and obvious. Her tone, pure shrill…
The governor has given so many different reasons for firing Monegan I’ve lost count. From the “we need new direction” and “new energy” to “he wasn’t hiring enough cops,” to “he wasn’t doing enough about alcohol in the bush” to “he lobbied for budget increases” to the latest version, which is a doozy; Monegan displayed “egregious rogue behavior.”
The governor also originally said that neither she, Todd nor anyone from her administration pressured Monegan regarding Trooper Wooten. Palin then was forced to admit there was serial contact once the Frank Bailey tape surfaced. But she insisted she was just learning of it. But e-mails have surfaced detailing Palin complaining to Monegan about Wooten.
The governor also originally said an investigation was needed and promised to cooperate. Then she instructed her employees not to talk to the investigator and has herself refused to be interviewed. Palin can’t constantly change her story and expect us to believe her each time she does…
I want McCain and Palin to win too. But with Palin’s refusal to cooperate with the independent investigator and her transparent delay tactics, Americans deserve to know what Palin is trying to hide before we vote her a heartbeat away from the leader of the free world.
My fellow conservatives, remember how frustrating it was when Bill Clinton committed perjury and liberals looked the other way.
As conservatives, we are no better unless we demand full disclosure from our governor when it comes to Troopergate.
No politician is so popular and charismatic that they should be above accountability and telling the truth. Not even Sarah Palin.
I want McCain and Palin to win too. But with Palin’s refusal to cooperate with the independent investigator and her transparent delay tactics, Americans deserve to know what Palin is trying to hide before we vote her a heartbeat away from the leader of the free world…
As conservatives, we are no better unless we demand full disclosure from our governor when it comes to Troopergate.
No politician is so popular and charismatic that they should be above accountability and telling the truth. Not even Sarah Palin.
It is good to see a conservative demand honesty here.
