John McCain begrudges $4 million to study the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana. He’s been harping on that earmark for over a year now.

John Aloysius Farrell did some actual reporting in Montana to find out what the much-derided bear study is about. McCain jokes that he doesn’t understand why the researchers are study bear DNA. Is it a criminal issue? Is it a paternity issue? No, it’s an issue of environmental conservation. Wildlife biologists are compiling a genetic profile for each grizzly so that they monitor the population.  

It takes a lot of nerve for a guy who voted for the Iraq war and billions of dollars in tax cuts for the rich to blame the deficit on earmarks, which account for less than 1% of the federal budget.

Like a good Republican, McSame ignores facts for the sake of anti-intellectual pandering.