SPRINGFIELD – An overwhelming agreement to endorse U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's bid for president was overshadowed by Democratic Party infighting on Wednesday.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich used the annual party unity breakfast and Illinois State Fair rally to trumpet his controversial decision to cut $500 million from the budget the Democrat-controlled General Assembly sent him and use the money to expand health care programs.

"We're fighting for people; we're fighting for health care," the governor said. "And if the Legislature insists on loading up the budget with pork that we don't need and not funding health care that we do need for people, then I'm going to do whatever I have in my power as the governor to provide health care for families."

For the second day in a row, he refused to give specific examples of projects he planned to veto, saying those details would come in the next few days.

Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, has already agreed to block any attempts to override the governor's budget cuts, so they are expected to stand. But there is still some question as to whether Blagojevich has the authority to spend the money on other programs. On Wednesday, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said that part of the plan "is contrary to the constitution."

"It's as legal as it gets, as constitutional as it gets," Blagojevich responded. "It's doing the best you can when you can't get the Legislature to pass it, and it's taking another option that's available to achieve the same result."

Among the party faithful, reaction to the governor's strategy has been mixed. Piatt County Democratic Chairman Ciney Eads said he supported Blagojevich's position.

"The governor is wanting to cut out some of this pork and put it into health care programs, which is where it needs to go," he said.

While agreeing that health care was important, Vermilion County Democratic Chairman Don Dunavan said he thought Blagojevich could have handled things differently.

"He says he's going to cut pork, but I don't think it's pork," Dunavan said. "It's things that need to be done, roads and bridges and fire departments and hospitals and that's not pork. That's just things that should be taken care of. However he comes up with the rest of the money, I don't think he should be cutting some of our projects because they aren't pork, and we've waited years for some of them."

Blagojevich dealt with the controversy by keeping the focus solely on health care, giving the State Fair event a "Step Up for Healthcare" theme and draping the stage with a banner reading "Democratic Party Stands For Healthcare." He even sang a little of the Elvis song "Girls, Girls, Girls," changing the words to "health care, health care, health care."

State Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Gifford, said the party was about more than health care.

"I think there are a lot of good Democratic issues out there that people will be talking about today," he said. "The governor chooses to talk about health care; that's his right as governor. But I think we're a big party that stands for a lot of different issues that will improve the lives of the people of the state of Illinois and we shouldn't be afraid to talk about all those issues."

Madigan, who is also state party chairman, said Illinois Democrats should be focused on electing Obama, who was officially endorsed by the state central committee on Wednesday.

"Our day here in Springfield should belong to Barack Obama," he told the crowd. "In my judgment, he will be the next president of the United States."

Illinois Republicans will have their own State Fair event today, featuring a straw poll to gauge support for that party's many presidential hopefuls.