Planetarium chafes at 'overhead projector' remark

The Adler Planetarium was sucked into the black hole of U.S. politics when Republican presidential candidate John McCain criticized Democratic nominee Barack Obama for supporting an unsuccessful $3 million federal funding request to help pay for a new projection system.

In McCain's view, the "overhead projector" was an example of Obama's approach to pork-barrel spending. But for Adler president Paul Knappenberger, the planetarium is not being frivolous in wanting a new planet projection system.

The museum wants to spend $10 million to update its original, 78-year-old domed Sky Theater auditorium, including replacement of the automobile-sized, Zeiss planetarium projection system.

Knappenberger noted Wednesday that planetariums in New York and Los Angeles received federal funding in recent years to replace aging Zeiss systems.

Obama was joined by other Illinois members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, in supporting the 2007 request.