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McCain version of Palin's eBay story goes a bit far

Tom Brune

September 6, 2008

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. - As he launched his new ethics and reform campaign for the White House in Cedarburg, Wis., Friday morning, John McCain told his favorite anti-corruption story about his new running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. "You know what I enjoyed the most, she took the luxury jet bought by her predecessor and sold it on eBay," he said. "And made a profit."

It turns out McCain went a little too far. As Palin says in her stump speech, she campaigned against the $2.7 million jet that Gov. Frank Murkowski bought. When she won, she said, "I put it on eBay." But she never says that's how she sold it. State officials said they sold it through a broker for $2.1 million - a loss. In his second rally in Michigan Friday, McCain didn't bring it up again. Palin repeated her accurate line.

McCain's campaign acknowledged the eBay bid fell through. Spokesman Brian Rogers said, "It was a symbol of corruption, and Governor Palin's actions sent a strong message to the people that she was cleaning up a broken system."