Republican presidential candidate John McCain might be the "anti-earmark candidate," but as The Seattle Times reports, McCain's VP pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, requested more than $197 million in federal earmarks for her state in 2008. Randy Stapilus at Ridenbaugh Press notes, "Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure $6.1 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor" in 2002. Meanwhile, Boise, Idaho, a town of more than 200,000, received $6.9 million in 2008. ...
Busted: Did you know the state Transportation Department has installed nearly 150 sensors underneath Washington's highways that track the speed of every car that goes by? Me neither. But it's true. And it's how state troopers decide where their next speed trap will be. ...
Busing: Apparently buses carrying members of the Washington delegation at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul are being pelted by demonstrators' sandbags. So much for peaceful protest. Still, the cops at the convention aren't behaving much better. ...
Bummed: The News Tribune reports King County Republicans were "frustrated" when unidentified vandals lit the GOP Bumbershoot tent on fire. ...
Pumped: According to an Elway poll released last week for the Office of Secretary of State, 76 percent of Washington residents liked the "top-two" primary. ...
Dunked: Republican state Attorney General Rob McKenna told supporters this weekend that he would jump into Lake Sammamish if enough people at the event donated to his campaign. They donated. So he jumped. Here's the video. ...
Who are you wearing? And finally, David Sarasohn at The Oregonian tracks fashion at the Republican and Democratic national conventions, saying boater hats and cowboy hats are to Republicans, as T-shirts are to Democrats. Reporters, he notes, "dress equally badly for both conventions." ...
