There’s actually a defense of this story
WASILLA, ALASKA – For much of his long career in Washington, John McCain has been throwing darts at the special spending system known as earmarking, through which powerful members of Congress can deliver federal cash for pet projects back home with little or no public scrutiny. He’s even gone so far as to publish “pork lists” detailing these financial favors.
Three times in recent years, McCain’s catalogs of “objectionable” spending have included earmarks for this small Alaska town, requested by its mayor at the time — Sarah Palin.
Now, McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, has chosen Palin as his running mate, touting her as a reformer just like him.
McCain has made opposition to pork-barrel spending a central theme of his 2008 campaign. “Earmarking deprives federal agencies of scarce resources, at the whim of individual members of Congress,” McCain has said.
It’s not a perfect defense, but many municipalities have found themselves having to go for earmarks since the agency funding is diverted by other earmarks. It’s perfectly true and with a good candidate you can even talk about how that’s the trap for even good people.
However, that defense starts with preempting the news stories and explaining it before it ever makes the news. Once it does, you are screwed.