"In his first State of the Union address, Obama called on Congress 'to publish all earmark requests on a single website before there's a vote so that the American people can see how their money is being spent.' An effort to do so last year faltered, but the strong endorsement has lifted the spirits of the two lawmakers most associated with the idea, Reps. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.)."

Lawmakers Pushing For Earmark Reform Think Obama Boosted Their Chances
Jared Allen
The Hill
January 30, 2010

Lawmakers backing a modest earmark reform believe their hopes were boosted significantly by President Barack Obama on Wednesday night.

In his first State of the Union address, Obama called on Congress "to publish all earmark requests on a single website before there's a vote so that the American people can see how their money is being spent."

An effort to do so last year faltered, but the strong endorsement has lifted the spirits of the two lawmakers most associated with the idea, Reps. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).

"The president has mentioned it now twice in as many days," Cassidy said Friday from the House GOP retreat in Baltimore, adding that a number of his colleagues have since approached him asking to sign on to his bill.

"I know Jackie's working her side. We're hoping for the president's continued leadership, because it's going to be tremendously helpful."

Mike Larsen, a spokesman for Speier, said she feels like Obama has placed the wind at their backs since Wednesday.

Cassidy's office also pointed to a State of the Union focus group -- put together by Republican pollster Frank Luntz -- that registered its highest levels of approval when Obama mentioned earmark reform.

"The one segment that did the best, among Republicans and Democrats alike, was the segment on earmarks," Luntz explained on Fox News Wednesday night. "There's a message in there [to] Republicans and Democrats alike; the American people are fed up with earmarks."

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