Campaign '08

Nelson isn’t the only one talking to Obama about space

Sen. Bill Nelson said last month that he had been talking to Barack Obama about space policy and taking credit for changes in Obama’s recent statements. But Nelson is not the only member of Congress counseling Obama on space issues. Rep. Bud Cramer (D-AL), whose district includes NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, told the Birmingham News that he had talked to both Obama and Hillary Clinton about space and missile defense:

“I had a terrific meeting with Barack Obama a few weeks ago,” Cramer said. “I was very impressed with Barack Obama … I think he’s likely to be the nominee and I want to continue to be a voice to his campaign about space and missile defense.”

Cramer said Obama had positions about space exploration and how far along the space agency was in funding a return trip to the Moon and on to Mars.

He said Obama made it clear that the exploration program was not just a signature of the Bush Administration, but one that many congressmen had wanted for years.

“I wanted them to look at the issues more thoroughly … I just got a commitment that they would,” he said.

Now to get Obama, as of last night the presumptive Democratic nominee, to make those “positions about space exploration” a little more clear…

13 comments to Nelson isn’t the only one talking to Obama about space

  • Congressman Cramer is not running for reelection, so his influence will diminish rapidly now that Obama has the nomination wrapped up and he doesn’t need to persuade supedelegates to jump on board with him.

  • CM Levin

    I’m glad that somebody’s trying to bring Senator Obama up to date. His remarks sound like he’s talking about NASA before the VSE, not 2008. Admittedly, not everyone is a total fan of the VSE, but it’s something to build from.

  • Sparky

    Not everyone is a total fan of the VSE, but it’s something to build from.

    Not many of US are fans of a ten trillion dollar national debt, genocide in Iraq, war profiteering in the state department, torture, secret prisons, domestic surveillance, and not too many of us were big fans of the Vietnam war either, so I guess you could call that something to build upon as well.

    You are going to soon find out just how many of US Americans there are.

  • spectator

    Obama will face pressure to accommodate congressional interests such as contracts from Nasa in their districts. Unless I miss the man, Obama will give those voices room at the Inn. The Cindy Sheehans, “America is the root of all evil crowd” will soon be seeing a big flashing neo sign saying “NO VACANCY” at the Obama campaign.

    The danger for Nasa is that Obama might find other ways to funnel federal dollars into those districts that can ease the pain should Obama cancel near and dear Nasa contracts. New money for infrastructure, schools, day care, federal buildings to name just a few. As a Chicago politician Obama is completely at ease in “marking to market” political influence.

  • I think Barack Obama and his staff are hearing a lot more about space issues than they dreamed they would. Now seems to be the time to really make noise about the directions we really want to see. Check out http://www.spacecontest.org for one avenue for that.

  • Greg Zsidisin: think Barack Obama and his staff are hearing a lot more about space issues than they dreamed they would.

    I think this is a very important observation. The nation has changed since the dark days after we retreated from the moon. While lunar flights (using whatever architecture) are likely to be deemphasized in an Obama Administration, a complete withdrawal from human spaceflight is politically improbable in the extreme. Even if Congress were interested in a purely automated space program, China gently reminds us ever couple of years what that would mean.

    More interestingly, today’s San Francisco Chronicle says that Ms. Clinton is hinting that she might be interested in the VP position. I think that would be a very bad idea — she is not tempermentally suited to be number two. If she should be President, she should be self-aware enough to know that. I hope that she is smart enough not to ask for the position, and that Mr. Obama is smart enough to turn her down if she does. On the other hand, Ms. Clinton is the candidate apprently most interested in human spaceflight. Having her as VP might well be the best outcome for space.

    — Donald

  • Kevin Parkin

    Though I would revisit some elements of ESAS, I still think VSE is absolutely the right vision. Just as long as Obama re-affirms VSE after the election I’ll be happy.

    As has been said before, space isn’t an election issue and won’t be on the new president’s radar for months after taking office, so nothing really has to be decided for a year or so.

  • spectator

    Mr Robertson, one politician hates to share the spot light with another. Can you imagine Obama having to share it with Bill and Hillary? I sure can’t.

    I take Obama at his word that he wants to make some root deep changes in America. He is bringing hundreds of years of frustration from the black community into power. He’ll make big changes.
    I just don’t know what he’ll target. I think Nasa, VSE, other countries space efforts are a sideshow. I just don’t think the guy is all that interested. Not surprising considering the social justice issues at the forefront of his campaign speeches.

    But he is realistic and will have to compromise with a Democratic Congress should it want to keep certain Nasa programs alive.

  • I think its very unlikely that Obama will pick Hillary for a variety of reasions.

    However, I’d argue that Hillary isn’t the only pro-space possibility, or even the best – I think Bill Richardson is very likely as well, and given New Mexico, he’d be a staunch supporter of space and space development. Further, it would allow for a significant different direction for space development to happen.

  • Spore

    The Cindy Sheehans, “America is the root of all evil crowd” will soon be seeing a big flashing neo sign saying “NO VACANCY” at the Obama campaign.

    Once you are able to admit to yourself that AMERICANS are the root of AMERICA’s evil, you will have taken another baby step towards adulthood.

    The ‘Cindy Sheehans’ well understand that Mr. Obama is just another status quo candidate, and that very little will be accomplished in solving the severe problems left to him by his predecessors. And Mr. Obama will soon discover that he will be unable to flim flam those severe problems away.

    The ‘Cindy Sheehans’ also well understand that there will be plenty of opportunities for future American evils, as America consumes resources, emits carbon, pisses off the entire world, and prints and burns money with great abandon well into the future and through the next several successive administrations. I see a great future fot the ‘Cindy Sheehans’ of America.

  • SpaceMan

    “…And Mr. Obama will soon discover that he will be unable to flim flam those severe problems away….” – Spore

    Assuming, of course, that he will actually get sworn in. I expect more “problems” with the voting systems not to mention manufactured “scandals” (FauxNews, after all, has to keep their viewers entertained) so it is not at all clear the Mr. Obama will be the selected puppet.

    We shall see.

  • anonymous.space

    “The Cindy Sheehans, ‘America is the root of all evil crowd’ will soon be seeing a big flashing neo sign saying ‘NO VACANCY’ at the Obama campaign.”

    Why are we employing a dead veteran’s mother in an attack on a Presidential candidate? Off-topic and in incredibly poor taste.

    FWIW…

  • […] and our national space policy as if the Visigoths had a representitive in congress. No, he’s supporting Obama because he’s a democrat. I’ve met and worked with Bill. He’s a nice guy and […]

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