Obama Silent on Earmarks As Ill. Senator...AP story 2 hrs ago

[ElsewheresDaughter]

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Sen. Barack Obama is open about the pet projects he's tucked into federal legislation, but it's a different story when it comes to the extra spending he added to state budgets while serving in the Illinois Legislature.

Public records reveal some of the projects he sponsored as a state senator, from literacy programs and park improvements to drill team uniforms and jazz-appreciation events. They add up to more than $6 million.

But that covers just two of Obama's nearly eight years in the Illinois Senate. State records don't detail his projects from other years, and his presidential campaign has not responded to repeated requests from The Associated Press for information.

While silent about Obama's spending in Illinois, his campaign has criticized Democratic presidential rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for withholding similar information about her years in the U.S. Senate.

Obama communications director Robert Gibbs said Thursday that her position should prompt voters to "ask why she doesn't believe they have the right to know she wants to spend their tax dollars."

Since entering the U.S. Senate and launching his presidential campaign, Obama has made a political issue of openness.

He voluntarily discloses the "earmarks" he adds to the federal budget; Clinton does not. He initially released one year's worth of earmark information, for 2007, but on Thursday he released his 2005 and 2006 requests, as well. Aides said he will not seek any earmarks this year.

"I have been consistently in favor of more disclosure around earmarks," Obama said in a debate last month. "Now, keep in mind a lot of these are worthy projects in our states ... but I want to make sure that they're not done in the dark of night."

That disclosure, however, so far applies only to federal spending.

When Obama served in the state Legislature, from 1997 until late 2004, it was routine for money to be added to the annual budget for lawmakers to dole out. In most years, this was done without any public record of which legislator was sponsoring which grant, leaving no way to tell how Obama used his share of the money.

more....
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iK-AonJ7KrNoGaEUdj6xsc3_8fmwD8VCTQR00

[AX10]

1. "Mr. Perfect" is human like all of us and he's a politician.

He is being dishonest when he pretends to be anything more.

[redstate_democrat]

2. .

:scared: Obama gave money to poor kids needing band uniforms!

RED ALERT! You would think he gave money to companies who ship jobs out of the country and inadvertently fund terrorist organizations! Oh the humanity!

[KittyWampus]

3. has your girl released her earmarks yet? LOL! Your girl is in bed with the war machine

good luck on trying to find some high ground in THIS debate. LOL!

[rodeodance]

5. BO has some nernve being critical of Hillary--look at the article. makes him look FOOLISH.

While silent about Obama's spending in Illinois, his campaign has criticized Democratic presidential rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for withholding similar information about her years in the U.S. Senate.

[KittyWampus]

8. LOL! keep on kicking this. PLEASE

[tabasco]

17. Yeah! Let's keep it kicked to remind people Hillary HAS NOT DISCLOSED her Senate earmarks!

Great idea! :toast:

[tabasco]

16. Obama released his Senate earmarks; Hillary has not.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Obamas_earmarks.html

This is supposed to be a winning issue for Clinton? :shrug:

I think you look foolish.

[Skip Intro]

6. Full power to the deflector shields.

at all costs change the subject from Obama to Hillary whenever Obama faces any sort of scrutiny.


These efforts are transparent.

[KittyWampus]

13. you think this debate makes your girl look good? let's keep it going then.

[Skip Intro]

20. I think it makes Obama look pretty bad. Michelle, Wright, no hand over heart at National Anthem.

Yeah, tidy little package for the repukes to kill his candidacy if he is the nom.

[WCGreen]

4. I am shocked, Shocked I tell you...

That a Senator, be he state or federal, is bringing money back to his constituents...

[C_U_L8R]

7. Funny, the Clintons just can't answer the simple questions.

It's like a bad argument where every question is answered with another annoying question.
Well we know that game Hillary and it just makes your team look dumb and divisive.
Just stop. Stop it.

[CookCountyResident]

24. She certainly couldn't or wouldn't

answer the question regarding the drivers licenses for illegals question either. That was the signal of her downward spiral from inevitable to 2nd place.

[AtomicKitten]

9. Obama has disclosed his earmarks -- So, will Hilly's be forthcoming in my lifetime?

What about those tax returns and schedules?
White House records?
Clinton Library funding records?
Hello?

[BeyondGeography]

10. Helpful hint: Stick to the preacher story; this one's a loser

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/clinton-by-far-worst-abus_b_84102.html

[tabasco]

11. Obama released his Senate earmarks but Hillary has not.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Obamas_earmarks.html


What part of that do you not understand? :shrug:

[wileedog]

18. You don't understand!

He has not released his IL benchmarks from like a decade ago. He also hasn't determined where he got the money to rent his prom tux in high school, or where his 3rd grade lunch money came from.

Until all of those things are published, examined and scrutinized, Hillary doesn't have to release ONE DAMN THING.

[TAWS]

22. Sorry, you don't get to criticize Obama for earmarks until Hillary releases hers

That's the definition of being a hypocrite.

[izzybeans]

23. It's easier to do this because he has spent far more time in an elected office than Hillary.

There is a longer history there. They are going to keep mining it until they find something.

[against all enemies]

12. I guess they liked the job he did, they must have reelected him.

[scheming daemons]

14. Let's compare:

Clinton has blocked access to ALL information about herself.

Obama has OPENED access to ALL information about himself, but left out his Illinois State Senate earmarks.




Which is worse?

[CookCountyResident]

25. Ok so....

Obama has OPENED access to ALL information about himself, but left out his Illinois State Senate earmarks.

This might in fact be related to the Rezko issue. Obama might be erring on the side of caution here.

[scheming daemons]

15. At least we're discussing a REAL issue here... thanks for that, anyway...

...

[quakerboy]

19. Hello desperation. no text needed

[Up2Late]

21. What is he hiding ?

Only 2 of 8 years!?! He MUST be hiding something VERY bad!

He should Quit now, unless he just wants to divide the party.

[Hoof Hearted]

26. Wheels are falling off the O-bus, it would seem.

[jackson_dem]

27. How many of this earmarks for Rezko?