Obama wants to reestablish National Space Council

Fighting Over the Final Frontier
by Aaron Bruns

TITUSVILLE, Fla - Standing with Florida Senator and former astronaut
Bill Nelson 20 minutes north of the spiritual home of Americas space
program in Cape Canaveral, Barack Obama committed to keeping NASA
exploring the outer reaches of the cosmos for years to come -
reversing a pledge to cut funding for new space flights.

Obama recalled watching American astronauts emerge from the Pacific
ocean after space flights as a boy in his Native Hawaii. When I was
growing up, NASA inspired the world with achievements were still
proud of, he said. Today, we have an administration that sets
ambitious goals for NASA without giving NASA the support it needs to
reach them.

Obama promised to expand the space program by reestablishing the
National Aeronautics and Space Council to help formulate a vision for
the next stage of space exploration. Whats more, he claimed that
cuts to the new shuttle program that hed originally planned to make
were now called off.

I know [it's] still being reported that we were talking about
delaying some aspects of the Constellation program to pay for our
early education program, said Obama. I told my staff were going to
find an entirely different offset, because weve got to make sure that
the money thats going into NASA for basic research and development
continues to go there. That has been a top priority for us.

The McCain campaign and the RNC took issue with that characterization
- pointing to his website, which still claims Obama would cut
Constellation funding. They also note an interview just today in which
Obama cast doubts on the program.

The Constellation project is a bold vision, but we havent thought
through all the steps to get there and what the funding sources are,
Obama told the Orlando Sentinel.

The only thing Barack Obama knows about sending a man to the moon is
that its a good applause line, said RNC spokesman Alex Conant.
Obamas plans to cut NASA funding and delay scientific exploration
are indicative of his inexperience with space policy.

But the Obama campaign claims that the Illinois Senator simply changed
his mind about cutting NASA funds, and now supports the Constellation
program " finding another way to pay for his education plans.

Barack Obama understands how critical NASA is to Americas scientific
and economic edge, said spokesman Jen Paski. That is why we have an
alternative offset to pay for his early edcuation plan by reforming
and reducing earmark spending, reforming federal contracting procedures.

The campaign couldnt say when the candidate had his change of heart,
however.