Here is a link to an article about a recent speech that Obama gave in Titusville FLA about his plans for space.

Please note that this topic DOES fit into our exception for prohibition on political discussion, but it won't take much to get off the track. Let's keep this to facts about things that have been said by the main candidates (including Obama, McCain, Barr, and Nader) about the future of spaceflight and astronomy.

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With the Shuttle nearing end and the VSE coming to a key crossroad in these latests rocket tests. What kind of expectations to people have for the new US Vice President. Will the next VP back NASA? Will they be a lot more supportive than say Al Gore or Dick Cheney?

It sounds good.
A lot of what he says sounds like what NASA is there to begin with. So; it's great that he's not letting it drop.

But; He did say close the gap with only the phrase "continued funding".
Sure, I'm reading between the lines, but without those lines to read, how else do I take it?

And; what does he mean by private sector? Isn't the private sector involved as contractors now? Aren't there international partners now? Aren't they doing aviation research now? Aren't they studying the planet and climate now?

I think I need more information before passing any kind of a judgement.

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

I don't think the VP will be very influential about how NASA is seen or supported. The real topic of this thread is what the presidential candidates HAVE said. Please try not to speculate about who might say what later.

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Yes, no question about that.

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Forming opinions as we speak

What surprised me (in a good way) was that he did not only discuss the "S" but also the "A" of the National Administration. People tend to forget the "A" part...

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Thanks for posting. I'm happy to hear that space exploration is something that Obama has on his mind already and I think his comments are very positive for NASA...if he makes it into office.

how does this jibe with speeches he gives in areas where NASA doesn't have some sort of a major presence?

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Note that all political speeches are very carefully crafted to let you read whatever you want to read into them. Case in point, some people think that manned exploration is a big waste of time. Others see it as vitally important. Where does Obama stand? "I'll reestablish the National Aeronautics and Space Council so that we can develop a plan to explore the solar system – a plan that involves both human and robotic missions" So if you *want* to believe that he agrees with you, you can read that statement as agreement with your position regardless of what your position actually is. My conclusion: he didn't actually say anything of substance, and this is very typical of a political speech.

We wont really know how he feels about space exploration until we see the budget he proposes to Congress. I'm confident it's *way* down his list of priorities.

I agree that the statements are kind of vague.

Now, if Obama had said something like "I commit to doubling NASA's budget during my first year in office", then I would take more notice.

On the positive side, at least he didn't say that he was going to dismantle NASA and cease all space exploration efforts.

Yes; My point exactly...
I didn't think I needed to explain that part, I just wanted to point out the specifics of that vagueness.

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Does anyone have any links to the other candidates space speeches? We shouldn’t assume that McCain will continue down the same path as the current admin.

It's good to see that he cares. After all, given current circumstances, the fact that we keep on hoping is quite audacious.

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Obama sure changed his tune from a year ago, when he proposed deferring the Constellation Program for ten years in order to divert the funds to an "education initiative". Perhaps he did so after seeing that there are hundreds of thousands of aerospace workers that are also voters.

...or when he realised that project Apollo was one of the largest "education initiatives" ever. When saying "education" you need to think about more people than children only. Apollo was one huge engineering educational program thousands and thousands of people in the USA. Of course, it was more than just education. Win-win. Nicolas For President

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I don't believe Obama myself.

Why?

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This is one of the few topics that allows political discussion. Let's keep it focused.

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Thanks for sharing the link... I'd add my two cents, but I know I won't be able to keep it non-political, so I'll just hold my tongue.

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Ya know, the BA has a comment on the differences between McCain and Obama on his blog, here

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I haven't seen anything from McCain recently, but the last statement McCain made was limited to solely talking about keeping the SDI (i.e. Reagan's "Star Wars" program or whatever its being called now) going. That's it.

I note that as I predicted (many times here) that Obama's talking about extending shuttle flights. While I don't like the idea of the shuttles no longer flying, I know that they have to be grounded (and grounded soon) as its only a matter of time before another one explodes or has another fatal accident.

What NASA needs, and needs desperately, is a budget boost. Adjusting for inflation, their budget is currently $3 billion/yr in 1966 dollars. If NASA doesn't get it, its likely NASA won't be going back to the Moon before 2030 or so (private companies are another matter).

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Tuckers! Automotive Oddities! Building my hot rod with the help of the intarwebs Those who would delay scientific progress for a little temporary prosperity shall have neither. MachineCast Save the planet, by leaving it! "To be second in space is to be second in everything," LBJ.

STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN ON S. 1745/H.R. 3093, THE COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE FY 08 APPROPRIATIONS BILL

http://mccain.senate.gov/public/inde...9-601D22074F97

"Since the bill has been brought to the floor, over $1 billion worth of spending has been added. Specifically, the Senate voted to add $1 billion on top of the $10 billion the bill already provided to NASA. I continue to support NASA and space research, but at what cost to our nation’s children who will inherit the largest national debt this country has seen?

Wow. One could say all kinds of things to that. I can't think of too many of them which would fit within the board's rules, so I'll just remain quiet.

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We want our children to go to the planets. Burt Rutan 6/21/04 K.I.L.L. S.M.U.R.F.S.
Tuckers! Automotive Oddities! Building my hot rod with the help of the intarwebs Those who would delay scientific progress for a little temporary prosperity shall have neither. MachineCast Save the planet, by leaving it! "To be second in space is to be second in everything," LBJ.

Maybe. But whatever the reason, I'm happy!

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I want to go back to the moon.
I don't care which rocket you use, whichever one you pick, I'll like it, I swear.
"If you think the LHC will create black holes, you might as well believe Hobbits are at the bottom of your garden."- Dr. Mike Inglis
Rovers forever! - ToSeek

some day, maybe you will learn to never be happy whenever a presidential candidate says something that appeals to you during an election year- especially if it plays on your emotions.
generally, they will say anything to get elected- even if it contradicts things they said in front of a different crowd a few weeks before.
this is called "pandering", and their promises usually last no longer than a week or two- or what's called a "news cycle".
then, they will find a reason to "rethink their position due to new information" that they have received, or figure out a way to explain how what they said before isn't exactly what they really meant to say.
this way, some people will only remember the things that they said that agree with their own personal opinions while making it look like they have an open mind and adapt their viewpoints based on changing circumstances.

now, if a politician was to have a 30 year track record of backing NASA and they were to make consistent promises about their vision for NASA during their tenure as president if they are elected, then it might be time to get a little bit excited.

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^
Ditto--which is why I'm paying zero attention to what either candidate says about space exploration until Inauguration Day.

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Dude, I've got a lot of summer homework, I NEED something to be happy about.

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I want to go back to the moon.
I don't care which rocket you use, whichever one you pick, I'll like it, I swear.
"If you think the LHC will create black holes, you might as well believe Hobbits are at the bottom of your garden."- Dr. Mike Inglis
Rovers forever! - ToSeek

From the universe today blog: Whoa, I love the shuttle and all but it's time to let the old girl die. Why would he even suggest that? I think it's another example of what I pointed out in my previous post to this thread. Politicians don't say what they believe, they say whatever makes people like them. This statement about supporting both the shuttle and constellation is a carefully crafted ploy to make everyone happy all the time. His interns and speech writers figured out that some people like the shuttle and some people like Constellation. So he makes a speech where he says he likes both.

As a pessimist, I predict the following: whoever is elected president will do the easy thing - he'll throw money at the shuttle so that he can have empty, meaningless fireworks to entertain the public. "look everyone, I support NASA, see the shuttle? do you see it? isn't it pretty?" He'll cancel Constellation because it doesn't look good and it's not going to fly during his presidency anyway. Why should he support something that doesn't give him a photo opportunity? Plus, it's easy to cancel a project that nobody has seen anything from except models, and it's easy to justify it. "Orion's parachute didn't work, the whole project was a failure!"

A truly visionary leader would say, "I'm going to support a project that has a future, and phase out the shuttle, which, though successful, has outlived its usefulness." But the difference between a politician and a leader is that a leader goes in one direction, even if it's not the popular direction. A politician goes every which way in order to maximize immediate popularity. A good leader is the one who picks the right direction. A good politician is the one that everybody likes.

Also, I'm grouchy on monday mornings.

Off-topic: for some reason, every time I see the title of this thread my mischievous brain insists on half-misreading it as "Obama in space". (Reminiscences of The Muppet Show? ) I guess after his grand tour of Europe and the Middle East, space would be the next logical destination.

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