Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), the Democrats’ new spokesman on ethics, will no longer accept subsidized rides on private planes, instead paying the full costs from his campaign war chest.

Obama’s move comes as the freshman opens a new chapter in his Senate career with the leadership ethics assignment, raising his already high profile.

He is taking a break from the bipartisan game plan he drew up for 2005 to shoulder his first partisan assignment — one that could help Democrats reclaim the House or Senate this November.

In getting his own ethics house in order, Obama changed policies on payment for corporate jet rides and installed an officewide ban on gifts and privately funded travel.

From now on, Obama will use money mainly from his Washington, D.C.-based Hopefund leadership political action committee to pay the market rate for use of an aircraft, rather than then cheaper price of a first-class ticket.

In 2005, Obama took 23 such private aircraft flights, some to attend fundraisers he headlined.

I recently reported in the Chicago Sun-Times about eight of those trips taken in the first half of 2005: Two were on Illinois-headquartered Archer Daniels Midland aircraft. Another was on a plane controlled by John Rogers, the chairman and CEO of Chicago’s Ariel Capital Management. Another was supplied by Quintin Primo, co-founder and CEO of Chicago’s Capri Capital Advisors and an Obama fundraiser. Another was underwritten by the Synovus Financial Corp. in Columbus, and three flights were on planes provided by a major donor to Obama and other Senate Democrats, John Gorman, the Austin, Texas-based chairman of Tejas Securities.

Of the 23 trips, the payment arrangements for five were handled by others Obama was helping out: Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.); two for newly elected Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine; newly elected New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, the former senator; and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, for which Obama is the Midwest vice chairman.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told me for the Sun-Times story that the senator put the new rule in place because he “wanted to ensure that his rhetoric on ethics reform was consistent with his actions.”

Members at present can use corporate aircraft at the discounted price, but the ethics crackdown triggered by the scandals surrounding GOP convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff may change the rules for all lawmakers.

Proposals pending in the Senate would require payment for the whole charter, and it’s not clear as of this writing if the House GOP leadership ethics package now being drafted will follow suit.

Obama devoted a chunk of yesterday to his ethics portfolio: an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and chairing a meeting in the Capitol with what Democrats dubbed the “Honest Leadership” team. Participants on the list included nonpartisan organizations long working on congressional ethics and lobbying reform, plus a variety of Democratic-allied interest groups.

In the afternoon, Obama was skedded to take a walk across the partisan bridge to talk ethics legislation with Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), a top Democratic November target just named the Senate GOP point man on ethics.

Though it may be tough for Democrats to swallow, cooperating with Santorum — and giving him visibility on the issue — may be the price they have to pay.

Sweet is the Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it