Giffords 'very pleased' as Obama to attend shuttle launch (Giffords clearly only reason)

chron.com ^ | April 20, 2011 | ZAIN SHAUK

[JoeRed]

Has her husband apologized yet for calling every member of the tea party movement an enemy?

[piasa]

won’t take that bet ‘cuz rats are always about using “heirs to the throne” methodology.

[tanknetter]

The final orbiter flight is cursed now.

It won't be the last, but rather the second-to-last. The last will be Atlantis' flight this Summer. Since Atlantis was being prepped to be the backup/rescue shuttle for Endeavour's last flight (the one Kelly is commanding), with all the requisite hardware and processing, they decided to fly her. Backup/rescue, should anything go wrong necessitating an abandonment on orbit, will be provided by the Russians and some extra Soyuz capsules they have.

However, I agree with the concept of it being cursed. Or at least jinxed. Having the President show up, raising the already high-profile flight to stratospheric levels, has VERY bad ju-ju written all over it.

[McLynnan]

The Arizona congresswoman, who served as chairwoman of the House subcommittee overseeing NASA, had previously asked the president to attend launches but to no avail, he said.

Ever the opportunist, Obama seizes this opportunity to grab some free publicity and steal Gifford's moment. He'll probably take Michelle and the kids out for the obligatory ice cream cone pictures afterwards.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I can’t imagine that our Founding Fathers imagined tax dollars taken from citizens at the point of a gun and turned over to a narrow group of people so they can run experiments in space."

How do you think Jefferson paid for Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery?

[DJ MacWoW]

Is This You Too?

A "Love Note" Sent To Jim Robinson

“I do so enjoy these money raising pleas. Too bad you kicked off so many patriots back in the day that criticizing the big spending Bush was a cardinal sin on the so called conservative free republic.

Nope, I will happily continue to freeload information from this site. If the lights go dark, well, so be it...”

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[Washi]

An earlier news story contained this line:

Giffords wrote on Twitter: "We are very happy that Pres. Obama is coming to Mark's launch! This historic mission will be Endeavour's final flight."

So, what is the deal? Is she coherent and functional enough to compose tweets like this, or is "smiling broadly" such a notable event that it makes news?

Why is her condition such a closely guarded secret?

[pops88]

“Giffords wrote on Twitter: “We are very happy that Pres. Obama is coming to Mark’s launch! This historic mission will be Endeavour’s final flight.”

So, what is the deal? Is she coherent and functional enough to compose tweets like this, or is “smiling broadly” such a notable event that it makes news?”

I’m an RN. I didn’t believe for a second she wrote this when I read it. More likely “smiling broadly” was a notable event.

[smokingfrog]

I stand corrected. And jinxed would probably be a more appropriate term. Everything 0bama touches seems to turn to carp.

[reformedliberal]

No one said how long it took her to compose and type the tweet.

Not an RN, but I spent 6 months with a paralyzed relative in a well-known rehab center. The brain injuries all had a recognizable type of voice. Facial expressions were not always symmetrical, appropriate or totally controlled. Many smiled all the time, even when it was inappropriate.

I wouldn’t wish a brain injury on anyone, but the Gifford case is notable for the total lack of photos, videos or voice recordings. I am certain she is not up for campaigning, but she will likely be on the ballot and be re-elected, just like Johnson in South Dakota.

[Moonman62]

“She smiled broadly”

Maybe someone mentioned Obama and she just passed a gas bubble.

[Friendofgeorge]

she supports infanticide, but so does anybody that votes Democrat

[DocH]

Let’s put his narrow mocha ass on that shuttle - one-way ticket to a black hole in outermost space..

[Kickass Conservative]

There was a Tweet posted yesterday that was written as if Giffords sent it herself. Let the Martyrdom begin.

Meanwhile, the dead Judge, the dead little girl and the other victims of the Murderous Leftist Nutball had no comment.

[cherry]

how is that guy from South Dakota doing?.

[rarestia]

one-way ticket to a black hole in outermost space..

It would take millenia to reach a black hole with modern spacefaring vehicles, and with our luck, Obama would beam back his tripe for the next 30 - 50 years like Voyager still does after its launch in the 70s.

The sun is much closer.