A campaign that has been built on hypocrisy

Tim Weaver, Las Vegas

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 | 2:08 a.m.

I’d like a Republican, any Republican, to explain to me why Sarah Palin is a great pick for vice president.

The reason I hear the most is that she’s a “maverick” and against wasteful spending. It would be nice if it were true, but it’s a complete and total lie.

First of all, she actually lobbied for that bridge, although she claims she turned it down. I thought it was a sin to lie. She actually hired a lobbyist to bring her town pork. In fact, McCain himself mentioned her town while blasting earmarks. You just have to love irony.

Also, Alaska is rated No. 1 — yes, No. 1 — in the country for earmarks per capita. Again, someone please explain to me how she is a “maverick” on this issue.

What’s truly funny about this is that when Barack Obama was considering Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as his running mate, Karl Rove mocked the choice, saying Kaine had been mayor of a small city (Richmond) and that he hadn’t been at his job long enough. Simply amazing.

Both Rove and the McCain campaign have admitted this choice isn’t about the issues. And they are whining about the Democrats’ and media’s alleged sexism? Wow. If she were a man, she never would have been considered. Period.

One more word about McCain. He constantly brags that he would follow Osama bin Laden “to the gates of hell” and that “he knows how to get him.” If that’s the case, why hasn’t he shared his secret with Bush? We have troops dying over there. Sounds to me as if he is putting his campaign before America and our soldiers’ lives. It’s disgusting.