ABC has released excerpts from the third and final session between Charlie Gibson and Sarah Palin.
She seems to argue, in defending her gubernatorial earmark requests, that it's not so much pork coming back to the states that is problematic as it is the means by which it's obtained.
This is reminiscent of McCain's posture earlier in the year when, while crusading against excessive spending, his campaign stops took him to venues that were funded in part by congressional earmarks.
Palin told Gibson that she "drastically reduced our earmark request since I came into office," but when pushed on her states request for $3.2 billion for researching the genetics of harbor seals and the mating habits of crabs, the governor became defensive.
She said funding those projects were requested publicly and not hidden in legislation.
"Those requests, through our research divisions and fish and game and our wildlife departments and our universities, those research requests did come through that system, but wanting it to be in the light of day, not behind closed doors, with lobbyists making deals with Congress to stick things in there under the public radar.That's the abuse that we're going to stop. That's what John McCain has promised over and over for these years and that's what I'm joining him, also, saying, you're right, the abuse of earmarks, it's un-American, it's undemocratic, and it's not going to be accepted in a McCain-Palin administration. Earmark abuse will stop," she said.
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