NASA has become a transition problem for Obama

orlandosentinel.com ^ | December 11, 2008 | Robert Block

[Free ThinkerNY]

CAPE CANAVERAL – NASA administrator Mike Griffin is not cooperating with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, is obstructing its efforts to get information and has told its leader that she is “not qualified” to judge his rocket program, the Orlando Sentinel has learned.

In a heated 40-minute conversation last week with Lori Garver, a former NASA associate administrator who heads the space transition team, a red-faced Griffin demanded to speak directly to Obama, according to witnesses.

In addition, Griffin is scripting NASA employees and civilian contractors on what they can tell the transition team and has warned aerospace executives not to criticize the agency’s moon program, sources said.

Griffin’s resistance is part of a no-holds-barred effort to preserve the Constellation program, the delayed and over-budget moon rocket that is his signature project.

Chris Shank, NASA’s Chief of Strategic Communications, denied that Griffin is trying to keep information from the team, or that he is seeking a meeting with Obama. He also insisted that Griffin never argued with Garver.

“We are working extremely well with the transition team,” he said.

However, Shank acknowledged Griffin was concerned that the six-member team – all with space policy backgrounds – lack the engineering expertise to properly assess some of the information they have been given.

Garver refused comment about her conversation with Griffin -- and his remark that she is “not qualified” -- during a book-publication party at NASA headquarters last week. Obama’s Chicago office – which has sent similar transition teams to every federal agency – also had no comment.

[pabianice]

Rectum, meet nail gun...

[LiberConservative]

Fireworks is the last thing we need at NASA ...

[silverleaf]

an honest man whose days are numbered

“space policy” experts now in charge

Apparently Obama scourge and purge teams have descended on every Federal Agency

[PGR88]

I hope he has something else lined up after Jan. 20.

Also, get the yr. personal income tax rec’ts ready, because Audit-time is coming!

[Alex Murphy]

In a heated 40-minute conversation last week with Lori Garver, a former NASA associate administrator who heads the space transition team, a red-faced Griffin demanded to speak directly to Obama, according to witnesses. In addition, Griffin is scripting NASA employees and civilian contractors on what they can tell the transition team and has warned aerospace executives not to criticize the agency’s moon program, sources said. Griffin’s resistance is part of a no-holds-barred effort to preserve the Constellation program, the delayed and over-budget moon rocket that is his signature project.

[Prole]

Mr. Griffin is right to protect NASA from the d@mn Communists.

He will get fired for this, but at least he is an honest man and a patriot.

Obama and his ilk are scum.

[albie]

“CAPE CANAVERAL – NASA administrator Mike Griffin is not cooperating with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, is obstructing its efforts to get information and has told its leader that she is “not qualified” to judge his rocket program, the Orlando Sentinel has learned”.

...hooray for Griffin. It’s about time SOMEBODY stood up to that little worm. BO AND his “transition team” isn’t qualified to be anything but a Marxist thug.

[Tallguy]

The Aries/Orion project is currently on Obama’s chopping block. It it goes & the shuttle retires, that will be the end of our manned space program. Does Obama really want that to happen on his watch?

[50sDad]

Several other national entities would love to make it to the moon, which I believe was not claimed due to our stupid need to be liked, and claim it for their own, not to mention the difficulty of upcoming satellite killer-technology. This is not the time to go wobbly, Barry.

[byteback]

I’m reminded of the Arsenio Hall joke on where there are no black astronauts. They won’t want to say Yes NASA No NASA.

[Prole]

Obama is a psychopath who has selected a bunch of criminals, thugs, communists and feminists for his cabinet.

I would be surprised if the shuttle program and other manned space programs survive under this communist.

[tet68]

Hint: He will blame it on Bush.

“I am all for the moon program but reckless spending by the
previous administration has caused these cutbacks...blah blah blah.”

[RightWhale]

Does Obama really want that to happen on his watch?

It's not his program.

[RightWhale]

Did anyone imagine the slow-moving Moon, Mars, and Beyond program would survive past the end of the Bush Administration?

[Lou Budvis]

Time for my obligatory anti-space post. Shut down NASA and let the DOD do the work for military applications in space. Tax-payer funded manned space flight for non-military uses is a waste of money. With the Euros and Russkies involved in the Int’l Space Station, how many “experiments” are being devoted to proving man-made global warming?

For those wanting to return to the Moon, I say that if there was a practical reason for going back - we would have already done so.

Let Richard Branson sink his money into commercial manned space flight.

[wrench]

not qualified.
.
.
.

.

At first, I thought this was about someone’s birth certificate MIA.

[clee1]

I agree.

We’ve wasted far too much national treasure on manned spaceflight boondoggles.

[Yo-Yo]

Space ping

[Clock King]

Lori Garver, a former NASA associate administrator who heads the space transition team

First, she sound like a political climber with no clue has to how a hammer or screw works, Second, Obama now has "space transition team"??? Huh?? What the hell is that needed for?