[DManA]

In response to Sputnik Kennedy put up well defined goal - Send a man to the moon and return him safely to earth by the end of the decade.

That is called a specification.

Obama put up a nebulous smoke cloud - stimulate innovation.

That is called waving your hands around.

[KarlInOhio]

I've heard speculation that our delay was intentional. We wanted to establish a precedent of free passage over other countries in space - essentially national sovereignty only goes to the edge of the atmosphere rather than all the way to infinity. We could do that by allowing a Soviet satellite to orbit above us without asserting our rights to the space above the US as we would if a Soviet aircraft crossed our airspace.

I don't know whether it is true or not, or just some rationalization after the first round of the space race.

[PGR88]

Obama defines “Sputnik Moment” as opportunity to spend lots of money over a long period for very vague goals.

[Andy from Chapel Hill]

Our “Sputnik moment” was the (near) collapse of Greece and Ireland.

[Joe 6-pack]

I really think Obama meant to say "Dupnik Moment"...

[AU72]

Our next ‘Sputnik Moment’ will be when a EMP is burst over our continent and it will be called a “WTF Moment”.

[Roccus]

Four months later, after numerous launch vehicle explosions on the pad and in mid-flight,...

Thanks for posting that. Many Americans, and FReepers too, are unaware of the frustrations we endured watching or reading about failure after failure. It was bad enought that adolescents had a joke about it.

Q. How do they count backwards at Cape Canaveral?

A. 5...4...3...2...1...Oh...$#@!, back to the drawing boards.

[Paladin2]

That “no science” statement by the Fearless Leader was totally wrong, ignorant and stupid. Whatta Zer0.

[MNDude]

The Sputnik comments shows his mentality and values is not that of an American, but rather someone raised abroad.

[DBrow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-mZ9pKvCmk

One of the best Leslie Fish songs.