[Republican Red]

It's not just the liberal media spouting such nonsense!

I received a "NEWS ALERT" from NewsMax with the headline "Shuttle Cover-Up".

Shuttle Cover-up?

There was one odd item in the Washington Post story Sunday about the shuttle crash. White House Chief of Staff Andy Card was up at Camp David with the president. They had originally planned to have British Prime Minister Tony Blair up there, but the foggy conditions prevented helicopter flights. So Friday afternoon the two leaders had their meeting in the White House residence instead.

Then the Bush party went up to Camp David for the weekend.

Saturday morning, according to this story, Card was "watching NASA TV at Camp David when the accident occurred." He then immediately went over to Bush's cabin, Aspen, and told the president what happened.

The fact that the White House chief of staff is even watching the landing of a space shuttle on a Saturday morning - while at Camp David in the middle of the Iraq crisis - raises a big red flag.

Was he previously informed that NASA was worried about tile damage from the launch?

How much internal chatter about a risky landing was there?

Did NASA expect trouble on an otherwise routine landing?

How many other officials suspected trouble Saturday morning?

Did NASA tell the astronauts and their families of the extra risk with this landing?

These and many other questions are hanging in the air as NASA tries to figure out what happened.

It seems possible that right after the launch NASA officials grew worried that there may have been serious damage. Perhaps they then had high-level meetings about their worries and, as a potential CYA measure, informed Andy Card.

It is odd that the White House chief of staff would watch a shuttle landing. Such a routine event - early on a Saturday morning, in the midst of Blair, U.N. inspections, Colin Powell's upcoming intelligence revelations to the Security Council - seems to be something that a White House big shot would pay no attention to.

If he had a heads-up that something might have been amiss, then we need to be told. And it will come out - eventually.

Haven't we all learned that cover-ups are huge mistakes? It is always better just to square with the people.

NASA has a wonderful safety record over 40 years of manned space flight. They now need to also have a wonderful candor record.

I emailed Newsmax back with an UNSUBSCRIBE request. Who needs to waste time on this garbage. I expected more from Newsmax.

[PhiKapMom]

I received that same crap from Newsmax! I deleted without reading!

[Green]

Apparently, Newsmax writer was misinformed - or the report I heard on the tv last night was wrong. I heard it reported that Card was at the White House and was looking up on the web for a weather report and saw the news flash about NASA losing communication with the space shuttle. It was at that time that he called the President and informed him that NASA had lost communications.

[Indy Pendance]

I wanted to get this 1995 letter out. Clearly, there was underfunding. From the letter:

I am writing this letter to elaborate and emphasize my concern about Mr. Goldin's efforts to delete the 'checks and balances' system of processing shuttles as a method toward saving money. Historically NASA has employed two engineering teams at KSC, one contractor and one government, to cross check each other and prevent catastrophic errors. Although this technique is expensive, it is effective, and it is the single most important factor that sets the Shuttle's success above that of any other launch vehicle.

[snip]

In our business there is little margin for error and there are no second chances; therefore, any changes should be made judiciously.

[snip]

The very last place that cuts should be made are in hands-on NASA/contractor shuttle processing efforts from launch preparation through landing. Unfortunately, it has been the first place cuts have been made during the past year, and is now the object of an unconscionable attempt to drastically change the 'checks and balances' system which has been the backbone of safe manned space flight.

[Howlin]

So does that mean leadpenny was in on the conspriracy, too?

[SierraWasp]

Sounds like a Larry Klayman tactic!!!

[cyncooper]

It is odd that the White House chief of staff would watch a shuttle landing. Such a routine event - early on a Saturday morning,

OMG! Really! Do tell, Newsmax!

ANY shred of respect I granted them is gone.

[auboy]

I emailed Newsmax back with an UNSUBSCRIBE request. Who needs to waste time on this garbage. I expected more from Newsmax.

I also received this NewsMax "tin-foil" alert and unsubscribed as soon as possible. I saw less manure than NewMax has back when my uncle had 500 head of Herefords. E-mailed Chris Ruddy and told him what I thought of him and his bunch of pot stirrers.

Geez, so what if Andy Card was watching the planned landing Saturday morning. Maybe he was just interested like I was and had a little time to focus on something other than Iraq. Cover-up this, NewMax!