Something Wicked This Way Comes

I recently received an e-mail containing a video which Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) struggles slightly when his teleprompter malfunctions during a speech on the presidential campaign trail. Well, at least I can say that Obama did not start spewing out lies in order to get back on track. At the Republican National Convention, a plethora of exaggerations and inaccuracies were delivered by multiple speakers, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, when their teleprompters were working properly. The following is just a partial list of the numerous falsehoods, including the actual truth:

1. McCain: "[Palin's] been governor of our largest state, in charge of twenty percent of America's energy supply."
Truth: Palin is the Governor of Alaska, which does rank second nationally in crude oil production. However, her primary power was the ability to tax oil, which she performed in conjunction with the Alaska State Legislature. And while Alaska is the largest state areawise, it ranks 47th in the country by population. This is akin to owning a 4,000 square foot house but having no furniture inside.

2. McCain: "[Palin's] the commander of the Alaskan National Guard...She has been in charge and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities."
Truth: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that specific authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. For example, when state guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, those duties fall under "federal status," reporting to the Department of Defense, not their respective governor. Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the service commander of the Alaskan National Guard stated that "When members of the National Guard are federalized, they work for the President. It's not just overseas. They could be federalized to go to other states or they could even be federalized in the state." By the way, the Alaskan National Guard units consist of approximately 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of all state guard organizations.

3. Palin: "And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending...and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."
Truth: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a private lobbying firm with close ties to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) to assist the small town in securing $27 million in earmarks, including $15 million for a rail project linking Wasilla and Girdwood, a ski resort community and current home of Stevens. During Palin's two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, which is by far the largest per capita request in the country. Recently indicted by a federal grand jury on seven counts of falsely reporting gifts, Stevens was the main advocate of the $398 million "Bridge to Nowhere", a proposed bridge to replace the ferry which currently connects the town of Ketchikan to Gravina Island, an area with a population of approximately fifty residents. In September 2006, Palin appeared in Ketchikan as part of her gubernatorial campaign and declared that the bridge was essential for the town's prosperity. In fact, she stated that "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project". Palin eventually changed her public view of the "Bridge to Nowhere" after national public opinion turned against the bridge for being a perfect example of wasteful spending. However, Republican Mike Elerding, Palin's campaign coordinator in Ketchikan, stated: "[Palin] said 'Thanks but no thanks' but [the State of Alaska] kept the money."

4. Huckabee: "[Palin] got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, AK than Joe Biden got running for President of the United States."
Truth: Biden withdrew from the presidential race after the Iowa caucuses. With that being said, he still received 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where his name was on the ballot. On the other hand, the town of Wasilla was recently estimated to have a population of 9,780. Now I may be a little rusty with my math but I don't believe that Huckabee's comparison adds up.