In an article in today’s issue of The Space Review, I noted that a lot of people in the space field had been experiencing “angst or impatience” about the lack of a NASA administrator nominee, something that would appear to be assuaged in the immediate future given the rumors that the administration is about to nominate Charles Bolden. Well, they’ll have to wait just a bit longer, it appears.
Bolden was indeed scheduled to meet with President Obama this afternoon, but was bumped from the schedule when the president’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ran long. At the daily White House press briefing this afternoon, press secretary Robert Gibbs said that the meeting between Bolden and the president had been rescheduled for tomorrow morning. Gibbs added that the president was “anxious” to have strong leadership at NASA, and that he may have “something” to announce after the meeting, but was vague about exactly what or when.
And as for the comment by Bolden that “there is no truth in the rumors” about an impending meeting or nomination? Apparently he talked with Space News before talking with the White House about the meeting. However, it’s still odd he talked with that publication while, the day before, telling the Orlando Sentinel that he was “under an embargo” on discussing his possible nomination and related issues.
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