DIRECTOR OF OBAMA'S OMB ADMITS OBAMA HAS BROKEN PROMISES ON SPENDING AND EARMARKS

AP/DETROIT NEWS: Budget chief: Obama will sign spending bill

The White House on Sunday downplayed massive deficit spending and President Barack Obama's pledge not to sign legislation laden with billions in earmarks amid Republican criticism that he was recanting on a key campaign promise.

The administration's top budget official, Peter Orszag, said Obama would sign the $140 billion spending bill despite a campaign pledge that he would reject tailored budget requests that let lawmakers send money to their home states. Orszag said Obama would move ahead and overlook the time-tested tradition that lets officials divert millions at a time to pet projects.

It was the Washington equivalent of officials pinching their nose and swallowing a bitter pill.

"This is last year's business," Orszag said, offering an acknowledgment that Obama would sign a bill that doesn't conform with his campaign vows. "We want to just move on. Let's get this bill done, get it into law and move forward."

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel offered mirrored language: "That's last year's business."

The House last week passed the measure that would keep the government open for business through Sept. 30, when the federal budget year ends. Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group, identified almost 8,600 earmarks totaling $7.7 billion; Democrats say the number is $3.8 billion.

Regardless of the precise number, it was still far more than Obama promised as a candidate.

OBAMA IS AN UNPRINCIPLED LIAR.