President to Address Nation from Oval Office This Afternoon, Condolences to Israel PM

CBS News ^ | February 1, 2003 | John Roberts at the Whitehouse

[ewing]

President Bush will address the nation from the Oval Office on the Columbia tragedy, after calling the Prime Minister of Israel to give his condolences.

There have already been mid level diplomatic exchanges of sorrow between the two nations.

[Carolinamom]

I plan to ignore their spewing of hate. And I sincerely doubt that the Iraqi's have a direct line to God.

[Mo1]

This is a terrible way to start a month that was going to be very difficult anyways.

Yes it is, but we are a strong nation.

[Inspectorette]

Thank you, Howlin - saw him, and I'm still in tears.

This President has been burdened with more grief and tragedy than any other president I can think of, except possibly for Abraham Lincoln, who presided over a time when 500,000 Americans died - fighting each other.

[nicmarlo]

Also, when he said: "The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors."

[rwfromkansas]

Did his speech play on the networks?

[knak]

Oh that's just great. Is this for real? They had better hope not.

[nicmarlo]

I agree with you, inspectorette:

This President has been burdened with more grief and tragedy than any other president I can think of, except possibly for Abraham Lincoln, who presided over a time when 500,000 Americans died - fighting each other.

[Howlin]

Oh, yeah......check out his thread:

Iraqis Call Shuttle Disaster God's Vengeance

[anniegetyourgun]

We all knew this was just a matter of time.

[Carolinamom]

I found Bush's last comment so moving and appropriate: "HE who names the stars also knows the names of those we mourn."

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

NASA PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR 3 P.M. EST FEB. 1

A press conference by Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore and Chief Flight Director Milt Heflin will take place from NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, beginning at 3 p.m. EST today. The briefing will be carried on NASA TV with two-way question and answer capability from other agency centers.

A Space Shuttle contingency was declared earlier this morning in Mission Control when communication was lost with the Space Shuttle Columbia during its return to Earth following a 16-day mission.

Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. at an altitude of about 203,000 feet above north central Texas while traveling approximately 12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18). No communication and tracking information was received in Mission Control after that time.

Flight controllers in Mission Control immediately began the process of securing all information, notes and data pertinent to today's reentry and landing.

NASA TV is on AMC-2, Transponder 9C, vertical polarization at 85 degrees West longitude, 3880 MHz, with audio at 6.8 MHz.

NOTE TO PERSONS IN THE AREA: All debris is United States Government property and is critical to the investigation of the shuttle accident. Any and all debris from the accident is to be left alone and reported to Government authorities. Unauthorized persons found in possession of accident debris will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

NASA Home Page

[Otta B Sleepin]

how many more tragedies must President Bush and our country endure?

Somewhere yesterday (no time to look it up now, sorry) I read a quote that said no President has been called on to give the speech of his life more times than George W. Bush (paraphrased).

And he's come through every time.

[GOP_Lady]

OF COURSE NOT!!!

[sweetliberty]

"I think it's time to take the bastards out. "

I agree, but I guess we really can't do much about what they say, but I don't ever want to hear one more whining ACLU communist malcontent say we have to respect these people or their demonic religion.

[rwfromkansas]

I wish he would have saved this till this evening, gosh darn it.

[knak]

I'm almost afraid to. After seeing the Pres speak. I don't think I could handle the anger at that kind of reaction. GRRRRR!

[nicmarlo]

I know nothing....I was taking a test; it started at the very time the Columbia exploded....I didn't get out of the exam 'till noon; didn't learn about this 'till about 12:45.....couldn't read the 1,000 + thread to read anything.....and I haven't heard anything on the t.v. about what went wrong, etc......maybe sweetliberty can help ya out or another better informed FReeper....

Just heard this was its 28th trip into orbit????

[My Favorite Headache]

Post me the link to that mhking. I do not doubt it was said..I just want to send it to the leftist's I work with.

[TheLion]

They just said this was the 28th flight of the Columbia and it had undergone 50 modifications.

[Wait4Truth]

I was watching CNN and someone on the phone began talking about the beautiful scripture President Bush quoted...anchor Darin Kagen CUT HIM OFF very, very rudely, saying that there were other parts of this story that needed to be covered. She went immediately to Judy Woodroof who began spewing all the stuff we have already heard. It was a disgrace! I hate CNN! They are anti-Bush and anti-Christian. They make me sick!!!!!!!!!!