Mike Griffin Hits a Home Run

Opposing view: 15 cents a day, Editorial response, Mike Griffin, USA Today

“Our great-great-grandparents accepted the challenge of their frontier. Will today’s generation do less? And if so, why? To save 15 cents per day? To save six-tenths of 1% of the federal budget? Because that is the cost to the average citizen of our nation’s space program. Whether we wish to explore space or not, to say that we cannot afford space exploration is ridiculous.”

Editor’s note: Now if only Mike Griffin can get his in-house PAO and policy apparatus to speak as clearly, and precisely (as he has) with one voice – a voice coordinated across the agency – with a clear, cohesive strategic plan – something he does not currently have.

Transcript of PBS NewsHour Interview with NASAWatch. com Editor Keith Cowing 5 December 2006

“But in terms of it being an endeavor that the American people and possibly other nations are going to be asked to spend billions of dollars, I do think NASA — and they’re working on this — but I do think NASA has to come up with some crisper answers, ones that just don’t reach to one part of the populace, but to young people, as well as your Joe six-pack, to people who are retired and wondering who’s going to be paying their medical bills.”