Not only isn’t this a mortal sin, given the nature of the project — a new projector for the city planetarium — it hardly qualifies as a venial one. But since the media has decided that penny ante nonsense like per diems to which Palin was legally entitled are newsworthy blows to her reputation as a reformer, let’s take a minute once again to rub Hopenchange’s face in the giant pile of pork he’s spent his entire political career peddling. Before suddenly changing his mind this year, that is.

Question to lefties eager to wave this away as an example of a virtuous earmark: If Obama’s all about funneling money to projects that improve the public good, why then impose a blanket “no earmarks” rule for 2009? That almost makes him look like a cynical opportunist seeking to coopt McCain’s anti-earmark reputation for purposes of getting elected.

Almost.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama tried to direct more than $3 million in taxpayer funds to a Chicago museum whose chairman is one of the Illinois senator’s largest campaign fundraisers…

The planetarium’s chairman, then and still, is Frank Clark, chief executive of ComEd, a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Energy. He has pledged to raise more than $200,000 for Mr. Obama’s run for the White House.

Moreover, the Adler Planetarium is represented by the lobbying firm National Group LLP, co-founded by William Oldaker, who helped launch Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s political action committee in 2005. Mr. Oldaker, a partner with the Delaware Democrat’s son in another Washington lobbying and law firm, is no longer involved with Mr. Biden’s PAC, Unite Our States…

Two years earlier, Mr. Obama sought $300,000 for the Adler in another unsuccessful earmark request.

Speaking of earmarks, did you know that Palin wasn’t even involved in two of the three pork requests secured by Wasilla that were criticized by McCain back in 2001? Of course you weren’t. Most of the media’s reporting on that looks like this, with only the Nelson Muntz sound effect missing.

Exit question: Which wingnut McCain water-carrier said this?

“The reality is, governors every day have to make decisions for better or for worse. That’s part of the job. It’s an executive position. And it’s a position that is like what you’re going to do when you’re president. Legislators, they do different things. They debate and they pass their bills back and forth,” he said.

“But governors make decisions, and I think it’s a tactical mistake for the Democrats to question Gov. Palin’s experience when she’s been a governor of a state,” he said. “I don’t think the size of the state is relevant. It’s the kinds of decisions you have to make as governor.”

Update: I don’t call him Captain Earmark for nothing.