[Peace-discuss] Adler Planetarium responds to McCain

[Robert Naiman]

http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/pressroom/pr/2008_10_08_AdlerStatement_aboutdebate.pdf

    STATEMENT ABOUT SENATOR JOHN McCAIN'S COMMENTS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
    Last night, during the presidential debate in Nashville,
Tennessee, Senator John McCain made the following statement:
    McCain: "While we were working to eliminate these pork barrel
earmarks he (Senator Obama) voted for nearly $1 billion in pork barrel
earmark projects. Including $3 million for an overhead projector at a
planetarium in Chicago, Illinois. My friends, do we need to spend that
kind of money?"
    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. The Adler has approached
the Illinois Congressional delegation the last few years for federal
assistance with various initiatives. These have included museum
exhibitions, equipment and educational programs we offer to area
schools, including the Chicago Public Schools. We have made requests
to Senators Durbin and Obama, as well as to 6 area Congressmen from
both political parties. We are grateful that all of the Members we
have approached,including Senator Obama, have deemed our activities
worthy of their support, and have made appropriations requests on our
behalf, as they have for many worthy Illinois nonprofit organizations.

    As a result of the hard work of our bipartisan congressional
delegation, the Adler has been fortunate to receive a few federal
appropriations the past couple of years. However, the Adler has never
received an earmark as a result of Senator Obama's efforts. This is
clearly evidenced by recent transparency laws implemented by the
Congress, which have resulted in the names of all requesting Members
being listed next to every earmark in the reports that accompany
appropriations bills.
    October 8, 2008


-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org

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