The Obama administration. South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who has been opposed to accepting federal stimulus funds with a Rick Perry-level of intensity, reversed course late this week, announcing he would seek so-called Race to the Top education grants for his state after all — even though the money is said to come with much-reviled "strings" attached. Perry, you'll recall, declined to have Texas make a Race to the Top application. Earlier this week, the Trib's Brian Thevenotblogged that education officials from a dozen western state voiced concerns about the program similar to those aired by Perry and Robert Scott, the state's Commissioner of Education.

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