Obama In Indiana: Pork-Free At Last?

Here's Obama on his stimulus plan in his speech yesterday in Wakarusa, Indiana:

But before we can rebuild our economy for tomorrow, we have to rescue it today. Now, that's why we passed a Recovery Act less than one month after I took office –- and we did so without any of the earmarks or pork-barrel spending that's so common in Washington, D.C.

Then, a little later in his speech, he unveils his plan for $2.4 billion in grants to develop electric cars.  Where will that money go? Surely not to the pork recipients he ignored with the stimulus, right?

Indiana is the second largest recipient of grant funding, and it's a perfect example of what this will mean. You've got Purdue University, Notre Dame, Indiana University, and Ivy Tech, and they're all going to be receiving grant funding to develop degree and training programs for electric vehicles. That's number one. (Applause.) We've got EnerDel, a small business in Indianapolis that will develop batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. You've got Allison Transmission in Indianapolis, Delphi in Kokomo, Remy in Pendleton, and Magna located in Muncie, all who will help develop electric-drive components for commercial and passenger vehicles.

And right here in Elkhart County, Navistar –- which has taken over two Monaco Coach manufacturing facilities -– will receive a $39 million grant to build 400 advanced battery electric trucks -- (applause) -- with a range of a hundred miles, like the trucks here today. (Applause.)

At least the audience is consistent--no applause for the opposition to pork barrel, but tons of applause for the pork-by-another-name that will be sent to Indiana.

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