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Astronauts

First Astronaut Endorsement Video?

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
October 17, 2012
Filed under , , ,

Keith’s note: Former U.S. Senator – and astronaut – John Glenn appears in this Obama campaign video. While astronauts have endorsed candidates in the past – and even run for (and won) office, I think (as best as I can tell) that this is the first time that an astronaut has appeared in a campaign video (film) in support of a specific presidential candiate. Fact checking by NASAWatch readers would be appreciated.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

10 responses to “First Astronaut Endorsement Video?”

  1. Fred says:
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    Its a tight race in Ohio, of course he’ll use Glenn. If the Wright brothers were alive he’d try to use them as well.

  2. Yohan Ayhan says:
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    1. Government should not endorse any political parties.
    2. NASA should not endorse any political parties.
    3. NASA’s Astronauts should not be allowed to endorse any political parties.
    4. John Glenn as an Astronaut should not be allowed to endorse any political parties (no astronaut photos or videos).
    5. John Glenn as a civilian should be allowed to endorse any political parties he wants.

    • dogstar29 says:
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      Active Astronauts are federal employees and restricted from campaigning by the Hatch Act. Retired astronauts are free to campaign for anyone they wish, and they are not precluded from mentioning their former jobs. Glenn has campaigned with other candidates but I agree I haven’t an astronaut in a campaign video before.

    • Nassau Goi says:
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      “ If I had an executive come to me
      and say they wanted to spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a
      colony on the moon, I’d say, ‘You’re fired!’”
      – Mitt Romney

      • Jafafa Hots says:
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         In fairness, that’s just his instinctual reaction to hearing ANYTHING he doesn’t immediately understand.

  3. Anonymous says:
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    Hardly the first. Back in 1984 when Glenn was running for president, he had all original Mercury 7 astronauts (Betty Grissom sitting in for Gus) for a group photo sold to raise campaign funds. But then campaigns were not as hostile like they are now.

    • disqus_5qGqB5bjQi says:
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      I actually have one of those pictures (cost me something like $25).  If I remember correctly they were produced AFTER the campaign to pay of their debt.   The money raised was not to support his campaign per se.  Full disclosure… I’m not a Democrat.

      • Anonymous says:
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        You are most likely correct it was to raise money to pay off campaign debts (tough to recall items more than 25 years ago from the brain). And now I remember that’s what it was.

  4. DTARS says:
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    How much do people get paid to be in these ads??????????????
     
    For sale!!
     
    Free speech!

  5. EliRabett says:
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    As Eli recalls, John Glenn was a Democratic Senator from Ohio somewhere in there, but if Glenn leads, can Harrison Schmidt be far behind?