Obama, Clinton join call for an earmark-free year

WASHINGTON — Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday joined Republican presidential candidate John McCain and a small band of GOP senators in making a run this week against the billions of dollars in home-state pet projects Congress funds each year.

Obama, locked in a battle with Clinton for the Democratic nomination, was the first to declare through a spokesman Monday that he would support a one-year moratorium on so-called earmarks when it comes up for a vote later this week. Clinton followed shortly afterward through a spokesman.

The poobahs of pork in both parties, as well as their Senate leaders, suddenly found themselves on the spot after stalwartly defending lawmakers' practice of steering federal dollars to their home states.

Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi had signaled privately to fellow Democrats that she supports an election-year break from earmarks as she follows the lead of House GOP leader John Boehner.

Obama joined with others last year to obtain almost $100 million of earmarks for Illinois. Clinton worked with others to win $342 million for New York, and Pelosi obtained $94 million for California.

McCain, the GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting, has fought — and lost — many battles over earmarks, but his new status has longtime rivals in his own party rethinking their positions. McCain is among only six members of the Senate who don't ask for pet projects.