Palin’s Plane and McCain’s Fuzzy Math

When George W. Bush brags about: (1) increasing Federal funding of drugs and increasing defense spending; (2) giving us or money back in the form of a tax “cut” (actually deferral); and (3) reducing the deficit all at the same time, my reply is that he must be practicing some advanced level of fuzzy math. McCain’s 2008 campaign is also based on this fuzzy math but Anne Kornblut notes that McCain’s fuzzy math extends to Palin’s sale of her jet:

One of the most compelling anecdotes in Sarah Palin’s repertoire is that she auctioned off the Alaska governor’s jet on eBay after taking office — a swift move made by a reformer hoping to clean up the excesses of her predecessor. In fact, the jet did not sell on eBay. It was sold to a businessman from Valdez named Larry Reynolds, who paid $2.1 million for the plane — shy of the $2.7 million purchase price — according to news reports at the time. Reynolds contributed to Palin’s campaign in 2006. What happened? It appears that, as she promised during her bid for governor, Palin did try to sell the plane on eBay, but there was only one serious bid, in December of 2006, and it fell through. The Westwind II was sold about eight months later, achieving her goal of ridding the state of a luxury item. But that hasn’t stopped Palin, or John McCain, from implying — or asserting outright — that Palin sold the jet on the Internet. “You know what I enjoyed the most? She took the luxury jet that was acquired by her predecessor, and sold it on eBay — and made a profit!” McCain declared in Wisconsin at a campaign stop Friday.

Kornblut suggests Palin had a loss equal to $0.6 million so how does McCain think she made a profit? Oh wait a second – Reynolds also contributed money to Palin’s campaign. Is McCain saying there was some side deal between the Governor of Alaska and this Valdez businessman? I think Team McCain has some explaining to do here.

Hat tip to Will Thomas who also notes that whether this was sold on eBay is “nitpicking” but McCain should be more careful with what he says.