House GOP embraces earmarks. Again.

One of the most entertaining parts of watching the presidential debates on CNN with the focus group tracker was watching those numbers tumble every time McCain would start up one of his rants about earmarks. You could almost hear debate watchers thinking to themselves, "what the f' is he babbling about?" But for some reason, McCain was convinced that this was the burning issue that would deliver the White House to him.

Well, it turns out that not even House Republicans believed that crap.

For the second year in a row, the House GOP caucus rejected an effort to limit its members’ requests for special projects, or earmarks, in this case a short-term moratorium.

The vote again exposed fissures among GOP conservatives and could undercut one of the party’s signature themes, limited government.

Minority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio and Eric Cantor of Virginia had unveiled late Wednesday a moratorium on GOP earmark requests through Feb. 16 while a new panel of Republicans comes up with proposals for permanent restrictions and disclosure requirements for earmarks

But Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, who is an appropriator, offered an amendment to strip the requirement for an earmark moratorium. And Tiahrt’s moratorium-killing proposal was approved by the full caucus, said several GOP aides. The amended rules package was then adopted.

Tiahrt has been a staunch defender of earmarks, and has been a rival of outgoing Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas, one of the strongest proponents of a permanent earmark moratorium for all Republicans. Tiahrt lost a bitter head-to-head race against Hensarling for the chairmanship of the RSC at the start of the 110th Congress, and later opted to leave the conservative faction.

Boehner downplayed the conference’s decision to strip the moratorium language.

"I’m not sure the moratorium would have had that much impact," he said.