Not only was McCain's performance on The View bad because he lied and was evasive, it really sets up Palin to get caught in their own campaign spin with Charlie Gibson later when he asks about earmarks.
Here are the options facing her:
- Continue to lie about not taking earmarks, and have Gibson follow up with the numbers. Based on the tease at the top of the ABC News website, the Bridge to Nowhere is discussed. Even if Gibson doesn't push this very far, this could be backed up by pretty much any news organization in the country at this point. We'll see when the interview clips go up whether Palin is just giving a prepared spiel.
- Admit to and rationalize taking earmarks, which basically shows up John McCain as either a liar or completely out to lunch. These statements would be happening on the same day, so there's no wiggle room about contradicting one another. There's already a Jake Tapper blog entry on the ABC website rebutting McSame on "The View"/prebutting Palin:
Dear Senator McCain
Here is Gov. Palin's list of earmark requests from February 2008. Will you please stop telling the American people that she never asked for or received any pork barrel projects? Respectfully, Jake
Whatever happens, I think a pretty effective contrast ad between McCain and Palin can be cut from their own statements. Either they dig their lies about earmarks deeper, which can be proved with those little newspaper pull quotes so often used in ads, or they completely contradict one another, back-to-back. A couple of clips joined together, and an issues attack ad has made itself.