VOL. 3 NO. 152 POLITIwednesday, November 4, 2009CO www.politico.com Members, Panel Goes Families AWOL in GOP Cash In on Earmark War Free Trips Committee blows deadline as By Ma n u Ra j u members seek more earmarks

In February, Sen. Dick Lugar By Ja k e Sh e r ma n and his wife took a $16,000 trip to Jordan. On Nov. 19, 2008, House GOP leaders John Boeh- In April, Lugar and his son John ner and Eric Cantor created a select committee on took a $9,300 trip to Valencia, Spain. earmark reform to bring “meaningful change to the In May, Lugar and his wife took process by which Washington spends taxpayers’ a $10,000 trip to Croatia. hard-earned money.” And in August, Lugar and his Nearly a year later, the committee has done vir- wife took a $6,500 trip to Banff, AP tually nothing about earmarks — except to request a tourist hot spot tucked in Cana- Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell celebrates his victory. more of them. da’s vast mountainous terrain. When Boehner and Cantor announced the cre- Total cost to Lugar and his fam- ation of the committee last November, they proposed ily for the trav- that Republicans in the House refrain from request- el, lodging and GOP Draws Blood in Va. ing any additional earmarks until the committee re- food: zero. McDonnell wins a state that Obama won in 2008 ported back with its recommendations for reform. The travel That report was to be delivered “no later than costs for the By Al e x a n d e r Bu r n s ia not only for the governor’s race but Indiana Repub- also for down-ballot elections — and See earmarks on Page 23 lican and his Republican Bob McDonnell won Republican attorney general candi- family members Virginia’s gubernatorial election Tues- date Ken Cuccinelli and incumbent Lt. john shinkle — were picked up day, dashing Democratic hopes of ce- Gov. Bill Bolling were also projected HEALTH CARE politico by the nonprofit menting long-term supremacy in a key as winners by The Associated Press. Sen. Dick Lugar Aspen Institute, swing state and sending signals of an Democrats still clung to hope for a (R-Ind.) a group synony- early wave of discontent with the gov- victory in the New Jersey governor’s mous on Capi- erning party’s performance in Wash- race, where early returns showed a Even Safe Dems tol Hill with paying for travel and ington. too-close-to-call contest between in- lodging for members of Congress McDonnell coasted to a substantial cumbent Jon Corzine and Republican Feeling at Risk to attend seminars on public poli- victory over Democrat Creigh Deeds Chris Christie. cy issues. and demonstrated GOP strength The night’s most unpredictable — By Jo n a t h a n Al l e n Two years after Congress tough- throughout a state that Democrats and entertaining — race was a special ened ethics laws that prevent lob- hoped had turned from red to blue just election in New York’s 23rd District, Jim Costa’s path to reelection isn’t the toughest byists and corporations from pay- one year ago, when President Barack where the national GOP had coalesced among House Democrats, but that doesn’t mean the ing for members’ trips, lawmakers Obama won the commonwealth. around Conservative Party candidate California Democrat feels safe voting for a House are still seeing the world courtesy Exit polls showed alarming signs Doug Hoffman after Republican nomi- health care overhaul bill that he says is too costly and of other outside groups. for Democrats — particularly a diffi- nee Dede Scozzafava quit the contest does too little to help rural districts like his own. Although the trips are permis- culty getting the party’s base, includ- amid intraparty squabbling. “I think we’re all vulnerable next year,” said Costa, sible because the money doesn’t ing African-Americans and young vot- Scozzafava endorsed Democrat Bill who won with nearly three-quarters of the vote last come directly from lobbyists or ers — to turn out. Owens over the weekend, throwing year in a district that President Barack Obama car- corporations, the walls can be Republicans were watching Virgin- the race into further chaos. ried with 60 percent. very thin. Some of the nonprofit Costa is one of a handful of moderate House Dem- groups that sponsor member ocrats from relatively stable districts who aren’t yet travel are themselves funded by online today on board with the health care bill and whose “no” For complete results, coverage and analysis of Tuesday’s elections in Virginia, See travel on Page 25 New Jersey and New York, visit POLITICO.com. See whip on Page 22 ‘Change Has Come’ ... or Has It? An inspirational By Jo h n F. Ha r r i s in some surprising ways, supremely conventional politician. candidate faces the In the year since he was elected So who is Barack Obama? The dra- reality of governing president, Barack Obama has revealed ma of this presidency — in sharp relief himself as one of the boldest leaders with Wednesday’s one-year anniver- to occupy the Oval Office in the mod- sary of his 2008 triumph — revolves ern era. around how Obama navigates his own In that same year, Obama also has contradictions. revealed himself to be an innately self- protective, constantly calibrating and, See obamaism on Page 20

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ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT MONEY POLITICS Ambassador CLICK GOP asks for analysis on climate Dems try to wrap payday loan Rerun: Jerry Brown is poised to Michael Irish envoy shares his insights on bill; Boxer calls it stalling. regs in financial reform package. clinch the nomination — again. Collins U2, trade and D.C.’s coolness. Page 13 Page 16 Page 29 Embassy of Page 39 Ireland