Your Daily Dose Of Anti-Palin Hysteria

With St. Andi taking 'a few days off' (wink, wink) the Washington Posts steps up to the plate and promptly swings and misses at three straight pitches.

The ostensible hook for the story is Palin's per diem and travel expenses, especially for her family and her trips home to Wasilla from her official residence in Juneau.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife

...The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.

I guess the idea being chick governors are more expensive then dudes because they have families or something. Except they aren't. At least Palin isn't. According the Post story itself all of this is legal and oh yeah, she spent far less than her predecessors.

Gov. Palin has spent far less on her personal travel than her predecessor: $93,000 on airfare in 2007, compared with $463,000 spent the year before by her predecessor, Frank Murkowski. He traveled often in an executive jet that Palin called an extravagance during her campaign. She sold it after she was sworn into office.

"She flies coach and encourages her cabinet to fly coach as well," said Garnero, whose job is equivalent to state controller. "Some do, some don't".

So let me sum up, a governor bills the state for legal reimbursements and oh yeah spends a lot less than her predecessors on personal travel and that rates a front page story under the headline: Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home?

I'm starting to feel bad for the MSM. I mean, they are now reduced to debunking their own 'scoops' in their own stories.

Perhaps when St. Andrew returns from his double-secret probation few days off, he'll be able to do better.

posted by DrewM. at 12:00 PM

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