Obama's Planetarium Projector Earmark Explained

John McCain accused Barack Obama of a seemingly outlandish request for Chicago's planetarium during the second presidential debate Tuesday, saying that the Democratic candidate backed a "$3 million [earmark] for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Ill. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?"

The AP fact-checked the claim:

McCain's phrase suggests Obama spent $3 million on an old-fashioned piece of office equipment that projects charts and text on a wall screen. In fact, the money was for an overhaul of the theater system that projects images of stars and planets for educational shows at Chicago's Adler Planetarium. When he announced the $3 million earmark last year, Obama said the planetarium's 40-year-old projection system "has begun to fail, leaving the theater dark and groups of school students and other interested museum-goers without this very valuable and exciting learning experience."

But McCain's remark was enough to make Adler Planetarium officials issue a statement defending the scientific validity of the request:

To clarify, the Adler Planetarium requested federal support - which was not funded - to replace the projector in its historic Sky Theater, the first planetarium theater in the Western Hemisphere. The Adler's Zeiss Mark VI projector - not an overhead projector - is the instrument that re-creates the night sky in a dome theater, the quintessential planetarium experience. The Adler's projector is nearly 40 years old and is no longer supported with parts or service by the manufacturer. It is only the second planetarium projector in the Adler's 78 years of operation.

Science literacy is an urgent issue in the United States. To remain competitive and ensure
national security, it is vital that we educate and inspire the next generation of explorers to
pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Senator McCain's statements about the Adler Planetarium's request for federal support do
not accurately reflect the museum's legislative history or relationship with Senator Obama.

Sen. Dick Durbin and six Chicago-area Congressman, three of whom are Republicans, also agreed to sponsor the unsuccessful $3 million earmark.

Planetariums in New York and Los Angeles recently replaced their Zeiss projection systems with federal funding, the Tribune reports.

Comments

[PlantGod72]

"No child left... to look up in wonderment."

[boldcoffeeguy]

How's this for fairness: (Tax facts for 2004)
For every dollar paid in taxes to the frderal government, Arizona gets $1.30 back. Illinois gets only 73 cents. Alaska get $1.87. Delaware gets 79 cents. Arizona is feeding at the porkbarrel trough, and making Illinois pay for it.
The average federal spending per state: Alaska = $13,053 per person. Arizona $7,569. Delaware $6,449. Illinois $6,080.
Before McCain blames Obama for wasting money, he should look at all the money we've poured into his state. Arizona receives far more than it pays.

[Skootermarx]

Having traveled to Arizona for business and through it for many a Wally World family vacation, I concluded long ago that Phoenix is Las Vegas without the gambling. Tuscon is better but on the whole the state's a hole. BTW I don't care for Las Vegas much even with the gambling!

If your facts are correct, Boldcoffeeguy, then maybe we aren't spending enough there. It is dreadful, hot, and deserted most of the year.

Add this to your lexicon of oxymorons: scenic desert.

[chameleon59]

If I remember right, those numbers include entitlement programs like Social Security - and Arizona is heavy on retirees. Which says a different thing, but not all THAT different.

[EvoMan]

The Adler is da bomb and the new projector is sorely needed. But, it would be expensive to visit often.

So, I go here almost every evening:

http://apod.nasa.gov

[shelsay]

he's counting on the joe six pack sitting on the couch with his hands in his pants, to listen to his comments about a projector and say "WTF! I won't vote for that guy that gave the Planetarium $3 mil, that's waaaaaay too much dough to give to a museum I plan to never go to. That's it, I've decided, I'm voting for that old creepy guy who keeps cracking lame jokes and doesn't have a plan, but he's been to war, likes to gamble, likes being around sexy women...if he can be president, so can I...I'll elect him."

problem is, are there enough people uniformed and paying attention to this mindless campaigning to vote you in McSame?

[Skootermarx]

There are more than enough. That's the bad news.

Most never vote. That's the good news.

[wandering girl]

and this is the man that some people want to put in charge of our space program? geeeez.

[PT6]

It cost about the same as the Salmon fertiltiy research project Palin did!

[Tobiasism]

Would be money well spent

[ifonlyuknew]

My friends."I know how to fix that projector, I can fix it, cause I know how. I have the expericence. I've been to that Museum. I can fix it"....My friends I'n right when I say change is coming. That One/Biden 08/12

[apoyo]

Every time he says "I've been there" I envision him lugging around his trunk with all the labels of the places he's been to stuck to it.

[chitown8]

Why does Mccain hate science?

Thinks about it Bear DNA and The Great Adler Planetarium. I have been there in years I save up some bucks to take my kids!

[AndrewInToronto]

I remember vividly visiting the Adler planetarium on 14 January 2003 on a stop-over coming home from Memphis. We had had a planetarium here in Toronto next to the Royal Ontario Museum in the university district downtown which I had visited repeated when I was a child and which inspired me in my love of astronomy to this day (I'm 46). Unfortunately due to cutbacks in funding from the provincial government, it was closed years ago, which made the trip to the Adler one all the more fulfilling.

For those who have not visited it, it is beautiful, then with two dome-theatres one of which was showing a programme on Saturn. Afterwards I had a treat of a lifetime: it was only hours earlier when the Huygens probe landed on Titan and the very first images where shown (one in each hemisphere) in the theatre. I literally have goosebumps remembering the vivid detail of the images which could cover the ceiling of my flat most likely.

It is unfortunately that Sen. McCain politicizes and misrepresents a tool so fundamental in teaching science in an engaging way to the public, particularly inspirationally to children.

[JenIA]

What a d!ck.

[Skootermarx]

And the winner of the Calvin Coolidge award for political bevity: JenIA!

[hmmmmmer]

Education is the bane of ignorant republican right wing christian fundamentalists. You can tell that by the crowds that go hear Palin speak. Anyone that can listen to fingernails on a chalk board and still cheer is brain dead.

[2StepsAway]

Wow... requesting funds to enhance the educational experiences of the children of Chicago...

tsk, tsk, tsk

What obscure tale will the McCain come up with next? Who does their research? I guess this is strike two (Bill Ayers being #1).

Sit back & wait for the other shoe to drop...

[iPolitics]

THAT'S the best McCain can do? A Projector? It sounded so dumb on tv during the debate

[agentforchange2008]

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and some of my best childhood memories were going to the Morrison Planetarium where they had one of those types of projectors. City kids can't necessarily see stars in all of their wonder due to all of the city lights. It made pay more attention to the science teachers she/he taught class. As an adult, I braved the crowds recently at the newly reopened facility and smiled at the children having the same experience. McCain and his ilk can't understand what that means - to see the wonder in a child's eyes as their eyes are opened to ther wonders of our solar system. I don't mind my tax dollars being spent that way. I asked my mother - she didn't mind her tax dollars being spent that way. Do you? A bridge to nowhere? That's another story. Maybe I'm just too elitist...

[AndrewInToronto]

AgentforChange, I share your sentiments and, from the sounds of it, some of your memories too -- although it was my grandmother who would take me time and time again to the planetarium in Toronto. (I wrote a post above.) I don't think you're elitist at all; quite the contrary given that you want other children to share that sense of wonder as their universe opens before their eyes. Your words reminded me of a poem by Pietr Handke, "Als das Kind, Kind war" ("When the child was a child").

http://www.wim-wenders.com/movies/movies_spec/wingsofdesire/wod-song-of-childhood.htm

[AndrewInToronto]

(some of the poem)

When the child was a child,.
it had, on every mountaintop,
the longing for a higher mountain yet,
and in every city,
the longing for an even greater city,
and that is still so,
It reached for cherries in topmost branches of trees
with an elation it still has today,