Comments on: Even in space, politics makes for strange bedfellows

By: Space Politics » Planning for another INKSNA waiver

Space Politics » Planning for another INKSNA waiver — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:47:37 +0000

[…] to the Iran, North Korea, Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA), actions that eventually included a letter from the NASA administrator at the time to a certain Illinois senator thanking him for his work supporting the waiver extension, even though that senator was spending […]

By: Library: A Round-up of Reading « Res Communis

Library: A Round-up of Reading « Res Communis — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:44:53 +0000

[…] Even in space, politics makes for strange bedfellows – Space Politics […]

By: Al Fansome

Al Fansome — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:35:19 +0000

I have no idea. I am guessing that Senator Obama has not thought much about this issue in the last 18 months. Since choosing NASA Administrator generally comes later, there usually is not a rush. (Everybody wants him to figure out right now who will be his Treasury Secretary.)

Most of the time, the person eventually selected for NASA Administrator is somebody that nobody had predicted a few months before. Mike Griffin was an exception to this rule (as everybody knew he was lobbying via his Mars Society study/report) the word leaked out a little while before it became public.

BTW, if Garver does not want the Administrator job, based on her performance to date, she would make a very good Executive Secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council.

FWIW,

– Al

By: Ferris Valyn

Ferris Valyn — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:26:42 +0000

Al,

Who do you think is likely to be NASA admin, in the event of an Obama administration? I know the common refrain is Lori Garver, but I’ve heard a rumor that she has no desire to be NASA administrator

By: Al Fansome

Al Fansome — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:35:31 +0000

AREMIS: Could it be, possibly, that in the midst of partisanism and devisiveness, Griffin may actually be thankful for the assistance?

I am sure Griffin is thankful and grateful to Obama. But a written letter that twice used the word “leadership”, plus the timing, just *seemed* odd. It is easy to leap to the conclusion that Griffin has another agenda.

Meanwhile, Florida Today has disclosed here:

http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2008/10/griffin-thanks-obama-for-waiver-support.shtml

that the same letter was sent to “more than 30 congressional legislators”.

Whatever the case, I think the probability of Griffin staying on at NASA in an Obama administration is essentially zero. Griffin basically said on NPR that he did not think global warming was a problem.

Now, intellectually Griffin’s personal opinion is potentially defensible if Griffin’s real point was that we have more important problems that are higher priorities for our scarce dollars. But Dr. Griffin works for the White House, and the American people, and blew it by sharing his personal opinion.

More importantly, Griffin’s opinion happens to be 100% contrary to Obama’s views, and to Obama’s commitment to change.

In addition, Obama has repeatedly explicitly criticized McCain for McCain’s denials that we have economic problems. Obama’s criticism was along the lines of “If you don’t believe that we have economic problems, then how can you be part of the solution?”

Thus, it is totally predictable that people like James Hansen will soon be saying “Dr. Griffin, if you don’t believe that global warming is a problem, then how can you be part of the solution?”

FWIW,

– Al

“Politics is not rocket science, which is why rocket scientists do not understand politics.”

By: Tom Hill

Tom Hill — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:15:31 +0000

As usual, some context would be a big help to figure out whether this is actually reportable, but I’ve given up on most news sources for providing any sort of context. Thanks Jeff, for pointing out the letter that Obama wrote in support of the waiver, but since that letter isn’t mentioned in the “Thank you” letter, it’s unclear that this is anything more than a generic note generated by NASA’s Legislative Liaison group for Mike’s signature.

By: Aremis Asling

Aremis Asling — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:33:36 +0000

Could it be, possibly, that in the midst of partisanism and devisiveness, Griffin may actually be thankful for the assistance? I’m usually right on board with the cynics, but as the head of NASA Griffin was likely very happy to have options on the table. It’s a luxury not often afforded NASA from congress these days. If Obama was, indeed, a major actor on the bill, I’d be rateful to him as well.

Aremis

By: Ferris Valyn

Ferris Valyn — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:13:46 +0000

I can’t say too much, since I was told some stuff in confidence, but lets just say that I am concerned that it might actually happen.

By: Al Fansome

Al Fansome — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:39:01 +0000

I too thought this was strange. I admit that I immediately started thinking what the NY Times was thinking:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/obama-gets-a-thank-you-from-nasa/
… was Dr. Griffin trying to ensure that at least one employee of the space agency would remain in his job in January?

Considering that Griffin is not only a Republican, and that Obama is committed to change … but when you add in that Griffin publicly stated that although global warming exists that he is skeptical that global warming is a problem that we need to solve ….

I have to think his chances of staying on in an Obama administration are below “slim” and quite close to “none”.

– Al