White House « Space Politics

A new name in the NASA administrator hunt

By Jeff Foust on 2009 January 8 at 7:58 pm ET

Space News reports that a new name has emerged in the NASA administrator sweepstakes: Earth scientist Charles Kennel. Kennel is Distinguished Professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where he also served a term as the institute’s director. He is also chair of the Space Studies Board of the National Academies. He is not a […]

Richardson withdraws Commerce nomination

By Jeff Foust on 2009 January 4 at 1:55 pm ET

When President-elect Barack Obama announced last month the nomination of New Mexico governor Bill Richardson as Commerce Secretary, many in the space industry cheered, given comments in the fall about making sure the Obama Administration would be pro-commercial-space. However, in a stunning development Sunday, Richardson has withdrawn his nomination, citing an unspecified investigation into a […]

New Years roundup

By Jeff Foust on 2009 January 2 at 8:24 am ET

You might think that the New Years holiday might be a quiet period for space policy, but there are a few items of note this morning:

As you’ve likely already heard, the lobbying effort by supporters of current NASA administrator Mike Griffin has gone to new heights (or new depths, depending on your point of […]

Oberstar stays in Congress

By Jeff Foust on 2008 December 17 at 7:11 pm ET

Remember all that concern that Congressman James Oberstar might become Secretary of Transportation in the Obama Administration? Oberstar became infamous in commercial space circles four years ago when he attempted to block passage of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act, and the following year passed a bill that would have rolled back some of its […]

Shuttle, spending, and state cuts

By Jeff Foust on 2008 December 16 at 3:52 pm ET

I’ve been on travel the last couple of days so I my time has been limited. I did want to point out a few recent articles of note:

Several local officials from Florida’s Space Coast met with President-elect Obama’s NASA transition team last week in Washington, in particular to discuss shuttle retirement and the effect […]

Transition turmoil

By Jeff Foust on 2008 December 11 at 1:32 pm ET

If you have not already read this Orlando Sentinel article about conflicts between NASA leadership and the Obama transition team please stop and read it right now. It’s a remarkable situation, from claims that NASA is “scripting” what employees and contractors tell the transition team to reports of a “heated” conversation between the head of […]

The White House as a “bully pulpit” for science

By Jeff Foust on 2008 December 7 at 11:35 am ET

A snippet from President-elect Obama’s interview this morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, talking about the “incredible bully pulpit” of the White House and hosting events there:

Part of what we want to do is open up the White House and remind people that this is the people’s house… When it comes to science, […]

False alarm?

By Jeff Foust on 2008 December 6 at 2:38 pm ET

In an editorial in Saturday’s edition, the Houston Chronicle sounds the alarm: NASA’s budget in under attack. “There is talk in Washington that those mind-boggling outlays for the nation’s economic recovery could come at NASA’s expense – significant cuts in the space agency’s budget,” the editorial claims. Later: “But one wonders: Why is such a […]

Richardson’s in, but what about the transportation job?

By Jeff Foust on 2008 December 4 at 6:34 am ET

As expected, President-Elect Obama named Bill Richardson as his pick for Commerce Secretary on Wednesday. The only real surprise to come out of yesterday is that Richardson is once again clean-shaven. Richardson’s interest in commercial space in particular has previously been noted here.

Another Cabinet pick yet to be announced, though, is Transportation Secretary. Last […]

Transition notes

By Jeff Foust on 2008 November 23 at 11:43 am ET

A few notes and updates about the Congressional and Presidential transition processes:

Politico.com reported Sunday morning that Bill Richardson “has passed final vetting” and is expected to be named Commerce Secretary, although no date has been set for the formal announcement. As noted here earlier, Richardson, governor of New Mexico, has been an advocate of […]

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