[Elkiejg]

Yet another Clinton legacy.

[anniegetyourgun]

Seems two can play that game.

[patj]

With Clinton raising taxes, as he did, and so many budget cuts, in so many places, one wonders where all the money went. Maybe wonders is not the word, maybe it's suspects.

[gunnedah]

As much as I despise Clinton and think he and his regime was the biggest crooks to ever enter the WhiteHouse and that includes visitors, I dont think this can be laid solely at their feet.This was going on some time before them apparently. So there is enough blame to spread around if that is what were looking for.
I saw where an Italian astronaut indicated the age of this vehicle and I dont care how remodeled and upgraded it is there was a lot to be desired there and knowing that I wouldnt want to have traveled in it.
You can rebuild a car but time takes its toll on everything.
Also yesterday I tuned into CNN late an a caller was really talking about the Democrats and things they had been saying about Bush on this thing and spoke of the way the Democrats were killing themselves over their ranting and raving. Republicans and others along we conservatives of any parties dont need to get caught up in this as much as the Democrats. Everyone sees the smoking mirrors the Democrats use to cover their errors and it is a known fact they never accept any blame and they cast stones for the same thing they in turn do. I think and hope America can truly see what they are and what they are capable of doing.This country needs to turn around before it is to late so let them go on obstructing,attacking and maybe people will get fed up with it. But on this incident I am affraid their is plenty enough blame to go around and we can spend our time and thoughts on the families of those involved.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I detest Bill Clinton, but do not think yesterdays shuttle tragedy should be included in his failed legacy. NASA budgets were approved by congress in the 90's and if the GOP wanted more spending on the space program I am certain the Clinton administrations would have agreed.

This tragedy isn't political.

[tm22721]

During the NASA press conference yesterday it was stated that the astronauts did not have a manipulator arm on this flight to position a camera and inspect under the shuttle for liftoff damage.

The international space station has a manipulator arm. Why couldn't they just fly by the space station and have its manipulator arm position a camera to inspect for damage ?

BUMP

[SteamShovel]

I am perhaps one of the most critical of Clinton and his Administration of bungling fools, but I can't say Clinton is to blame for this. There are many people involved in this. I'm not sure blame can be laid at any one person's feet.

These types of tragedies bring out all kinds of name calling and the temptation is to find a scapegoat. Decisions, good or bad, are made every day in ventures such as the space program. Implications of those decisions may not be felt for years, just as government economic or foreign affairs decisions take years to show their effects. Most effects are unforseen and unpredictable.

There will be a host of "I told you so" revelations, but I know from my own personal experience that most people who make these claims were simply "covering their butt" when the did "tell them so" without any real intention on their part to make things safer.

If you've ever worked in heavy industry, not a day goes by where somebody doesn't raise a stink about a safety concern. Sometimes they are justified. Sometimes they are playing political games to get a day of pay while sitting around doing nothing. Sometimes it's political posturing, like Hillary blasting Bush about the lack of real "Homeland Security" even though she knows full well that we cannot and should not become a police state to make everybody "safe" all the time. In short, the "I told you so" crowd needs to be listened to in some instances and filtered out in others. But in ventures like this one, danger is ever present and cannot be allowed to force the program into impotency.

While I do blame Clinton for the 9-11 events because of a systematic disregard for National Security, I cannot say that this is his fault.

[Maelstrom]

Actually, this was a Carter legacy.

NASA's original design used Titanium instead of Aluminum struts. The Ceramic tiles would not have been as vulnerable nor as important.

[Brett66]

It looks like that foam insulation that hit the wing might have dislodged a tile and while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere it gave way and started the the chain reaction towards catastrophic failure.