Oct 9, 2008 8:30 am US/Pacific
Fact Check: McCain On Obama's Earmark Spending
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Democrat Barck Obama and Republican John McCain greet each other prior to their second presidential debate at Belmont University's Curb Event Center on Oct. 7, 2008, in Nashville, Tenn.
Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images
Officials at Chicago's Adler Planetarium are reacting angrily to comments from Sen. John McCain. During Tuesday night's presidential debate, the Republican blasted Sen. Barack Obama's support for a big money earmark for the lakefront observatory.
But as CBS station WBBM-TV's Mike Parker reports, McCain himself voted to spend taxpayer dollars at the Adler.
"While we were working to eliminate these pork barrel earmarks, he voted for nearly $1 billion in pork barrel earmark projects including $3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago," McCain said during the second of three presidential debates, blasting what became an unsuccessful effort to rebuild the 40-year-old Zeiss Optical Skyshow projector at the Adler Planetarium.
"At some point in the future it's not going to be able to be repaired. It's really kind of a custom built piece of machinery," Mark Webb of Adler said.
It's not the first time McCain has talked about the project. In an earlier interview he said, "Look at some of the planetariums and other foolishness that he asked for."
That "foolishness" line really rocked Adler officials today, including President Paul Knappenberger.
"He just doesn't know what he's talking about," Knappenberger said.
"Science education is really important and I don't think anybody denies that," Weber said. "What we do here isn't foolish."
And despite McCain's attack, records suggest the GOP nominee has voted for millions of dollars worth of similar earmarks himself, including a $200,000 education grant to the Adler Planetarium.
But there are also questions now being asked about former planetarium Board President Frank Clark. Clark has raised money for the Obama campaign, leaving some to ask if there is a connection between that and the projector earmark.
Maybe, but maybe not.
The earmark request was crafted not just by Sen. Obama but also Sen. Richard Durbin and other members of the Illinois Congressional delegation.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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