[Peace-discuss] Adler Planetarium responds to McCain

Thu Oct 9 16:39:22 CDT 2008

Just a minor point: McCain did say it was for a planetarium at the debate.  I remember it clearly.  It was the first I had heard that McCain was attacking planetariums :-) so I know I heard it.  The distortion was in referring to it as an "overhead projector", evoking an image of one of those little things you see in classrooms, as if it were a million-dollar toilet seat or something.

 Ricky

"Only those who do nothing make no mistakes." - Peter Kropotkin

----- Original Message ----
From: Stuart Levy <slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu>
To: peace discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 9, 2008 3:14:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Adler Planetarium responds to McCain

On Thu, Oct 09, 2008 at 03:04:17PM -0500, Karen Medina wrote:
> YES!. Thanks for sharing the article.
> 
> But I'm pretty sure the quote in the article is wrong; When McCain mentioned 
> that Obama had approved the expensive projector in Chicago, McCain 
> intentionally left out that it had anything to do with a planetarium. I'd have to 
> look for a transcript.

Actually, McCain *did* say something (to a Florida newspaper, in September)
about pork for "planetariums and other foolishness":

> Subject: planetariums become political footballs
> 
> Saw these two notes on the dome-l planetarium mailing list.
> It seems McCain, stung by those who pointed out that Sarah Palin
> had supported the famous Alaskan bridge project before deciding
> to oppose it when it became a public issue (and then taking the money
> for AK anyway), tried to reply by saying that Obama's record on
> pork projects was no better:
> 
> In a recent interview with AP and Florida newspapers, McCain ...
> 
> > [...] was asked about nearly $200 million in congressional pet projects Palin
> > requested for 2009 for her state, despite her boasts that she opposes such
> > projects and his claim that she didn't ask for any. McCain responded by
> > criticizing Obama for seeking more than $900 million in these earmarks, by
> > one count.
> >
> > "That's nearly a million every day, every working day he's been in
> > Congress," *McCain said. "And when you look at some of the planetariums and
> > other foolishness that he asked for, he shouldn't be saying anything
> > about Governor Palin."*
> 
> and now...
> 
> > == 1 of 3 ==
> > Date: Tues, Sep 16 2008 9:50�am
> > From: "Night Spirit"
> > 
> > In my other post, I noted McCain slammed Obama for foolish pork requests
> > like planetariums.  I just found out that the he was talking about Obama's
> > support to provide the Adler with a $3.3 grant to replace its 40 year old
> > projector which is becoming impossible to repair.  Words fail me.
> > 
> > --
> > Laurent Pellerin, Director
> > Kika Silva Pla Planetarium
> > at Santa Fe College
> > 3000 NW 83rd St, Office X-132
> > Gainesville, Florida 32606
> > 352.395.5381
> > laurent.pellerin at sfcc.edu
> > http://www.sfcollege.edu/planetarium

> -karen medina
> 
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 07:47:43 -0500
> >From: "Robert Naiman" <naiman.uiuc at gmail.com>  
> >Subject: [Peace-discuss] Adler Planetarium responds to McCain  
> >To: "peace discuss" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
> >
> >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
> >
> >Ambassador Pickering on Iran Talks and Multinational Enrichment
> >http://youtube.com/watch?v=kGZFrFxVg8A
> >_______________________________________________
> >Peace-discuss mailing list
> >Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> >http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss
> 

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