First. Earmarks have a special place in Alaskan politics. In a September 1, 2008 article in the International Journal the importance of earmarks to Alaska is discussed.
Earmarks are close to sacrosanct in Alaska, which routinely reaps more money per resident for such projects than any other state because of the seniority and aggressiveness of Stevens and Young.
Governor Palin has a long history of aggressively lobbying for earmarks from Washington. While she was the mayor of Wasilla she made yearly trips to Washington in search of earmarks for her city, mainly from mainly Representative Don Young and Senator Ted Stevens. She boasted to The Anchorage Daily News in 2006, of having face to face meetings with those responsible for writing the budget and bringing more money home for her community. She had Wasilla employ Washington lobbyist to press for federal funds for her town. She obtained 27 million dollars while she was mayor of Wasilla or over $4,000 per resident.
As the new mayor of tiny Wasilla, Alaska, in 2000, Palin initiated a tradition of making annual trips to Washington to ask for more earmarks from the state's congressional delegation, mainly Representative Don Young and Senator Ted Stevens, both Republicans.
She directed Wasilla to employ Washington lobbyists to press for U.S. funds for the town, helping to obtain more than $8 million in earmarks for projects ranging from waterworks to a shelter.
I think that spelling out the bridge story help to put things into perspective.
November 2005: Congress decided to cancel funding for two Alaskan bridges that were both considered examples of pork. Those projects were principally cancelled because it was significantly damaging the Republicans reputation as fiscal conservatives. The cost of the Ketchikan "Bridge to Nowhere" was 398 million and congress had appropriated 223 million for the project. This bridge was going to be similar in size to the golden gate bridge, and would serviced about 350,000 passengers per year. For comparison, the Golden Gate Bridge carried more than 43,000,000 vehicles in 2006. The bridge language was removed but the money still went to Alaska.
October 21, 2006: Alaska gubernatorial candidate Sarah Palin supported continued funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" saying during a televised debate,
"I do support the infrastructure projects that are on tap here in the state of Alaska that our congressional delegations worked hard for," and later that month during an interview, "the window is now, while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist,"
essentially looking to congress to provide funds for the bridge. She ran on a "build-the-bridge" platform and said that she was insulted by the term "bridge to nowhere." according to Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein, a Democrat, and Mike Elerding, a Republican who was part of her campaign.
September 2007: McCain slammed the Alaskan "bridge to nowhere" project for diverting money away from dangerous bridges like one that collapsed in Minnesota.
October, 2007: Palin cancels the project stating
"Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer. Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it’s clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island. Much of the public’s attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened."
effectively canceling the project due to a lack of financial support from congress.
Contrast this with her recent statement "I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere"
The truth is Congress and the lower 48’s told her, "thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere." Canceling the ‘bridge to nowhere’ project got national press, and McCain and Palin have spun congress’ rejection off the project in her favor, making it seem as she was a Maverick rejecting a pork barrel project, when in fact she had spend over a year publicly supporting it.
We need to make it clear that Palin didn’t reject the pork barrel spending but spent most of her politically life aggressively lobbying for it. She actively sought money from congress to complete the project. Congress said no in 2005 and finally closed the door in 2007 after the Minnesota bridge collapse.
The 'bridge to nowhere' served as Palin's bridge to the VP nomination.