More Republican Infighting, Alaska-Style

Earlier today, Sarah Palin decided to cut and run from a confrontation over her decision (a.k.a. political grandstanding) to turn down a portion of Alaska's share of the stimulus money:

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) backed out a scheduled meeting Thursday with state legislative leaders who have publicly criticized her plan to turn down a portion of the state’s federal stimulus funds.

“We had a meeting scheduled with the governor today and her legislative liaison told us that she wasn’t there and that we could meet with the staff,” said Gary Stevens, the state’s Republican Senate President, at an afternoon press conference. “We’re here, we’re available, and unfortunately she is not.”

Palin fired back in a statement released during the press conference, claiming that the lawmakers cancelled the meeting with her so that they could “host their own press conference.”

Stevens said Palin’s account of events “is absolutely false.”

“To say that we cancelled the meeting to have a press conference is absolutely untrue and somebody should be brought to task on that,” he said.

According to Stevens and Republican state House Speaker Mike Chenault, a Palin legislative aide told them that the governor could not meet with them and offered to have members of Palin’s staff speak with the lawmakers instead.

Stevens said the lawmakers turned down the offer because Palin’s staff “often has trouble answering questions.”

Comedy.