John McCain
Town Hall
Cleveland, OH 05/01/08

TRANSCRIPT:
REPORTER: You made a comment yesterday that caused a little bit of a controversy when you said the bridge in Minnesota wouldn't've collapsed if it hadn't've been for earmarks.

JOHN MCCAIN: No, I said it would've received a higher priority which it deserved. When you divert money to projects that are unneeded and unwanted, any project that is deserved is going to receive the funding that's necessary. And I will maintain again that I believe when you fund a bridge to Alaska and when you fund a highway in Florida that the people don't even want, then money is diverted from that much needed project. Can I guarantee that it would've gone to the bridge in Minneapolis? No. But I sure believe and am convinced that they had a lot better chance to get more funding. Whether $233 million, whether $10 million or all those other projects were made. And I maintain that. Do I know specifically whether it would've repaired the bridge in Minneapolis? No. But I know that funding would've been available for higher priority projects.

REPORTER: The criticism, sir, is that you brought up a tragedy to make a political point and that's what some of the critics are saying . . .

JOHN MCCAIN: All I can do to respond to those critics is that my job is to make America as safe as possible and my job is to prevent those tragedies. Such as the canal that was built, er, dug in New Orleans that brought the Hurricane up and did more damage to New Orleans. If someone thinks that my criticism of that canal is unwarranted, then I accept their criticism but I don't agree with it.

LABEL:
JM OH 5-1 (EW#5) DAGH -- Clip N

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