NASA Commercial Crew Appears Briefly During Democratic National Convention Opening
Keith’s note: I sent the following to NASA PAO: “Last night imagery of two NASA astronauts appeared in a Democratic National Convention video. Did the DNC seek permission from NASA and/or the astronauts portrayed to use this imagery for political purposes? If so did NASA grant permission? Does NASA intend to file a complaint with the DNC for the use of this imagery of two of its employees in a political context and/or ask for it to be deleted?”
The response I got today says “NASA was not made aware of the video before it was released and we did not provide any assistance or footage, which was publicly available online.”
In case you were not watching during the opening of the #DNC2020 there was a montage of images that accompanied the national anthem. Among the imagery was the @NASA @SpaceX #DEMO2 crew pic.twitter.com/eQ8zpkCO3C
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) August 18, 2020
— And if you were watching the #DNC2020 Bruce Springsteen video there was a person watching a rocket launch …
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) August 18, 2020
Can someone explain to me why it is OK for the Democratic National Committee Political Convention to use images of NASA and SpaceX, but it is not OK for the RNC/Trump Campaign to do the same?
See http://nasawatch.com/archives/2020/06/the-first-2020.html
“A lot of people at NASA and SpaceX are upset about that MAGA space ad:
Petition · Stop Donald Trump politicizing SpaceX and NASA accomplishments https://change.org/p/nasa-s……”
Because they used an image of a astronaut spouse and their minor child without their permission. The footage shown by the DNC was pool footage – by NASA – in the public domain.
While I will agree that the use of a spouse and a child should not have occurred, that was but one small part of the dissent in that posting that I linked to. There was also criticism over logos and fonts used. You yourself remarked that it appeared to be made from outtakes from a movie. So the posting was much more than the spousal issue.
Further in one of your comments you complained that the Trump campaign didn’t include, “earth science, space science, aeronautics, astronomy, planetary science, education, and all the other things NASA does…Just flags and rockets. To the uninformed it is a feel good ad but it could have been so much more. Let’s see what Team Biden does.”
It seems the DNC is using the astronaut video with flags and rockets – the same thing you complained about the RNC. Do you have the same critique of the DNC that it should have “been so much more”?
You posted on the article linked above:
“Current NASA employees, including astronauts, may not appear in commercial material,” those guidelines state. “If a recognizable person, or talent (e.g., an astronaut or a noted personality engaged to narrate a film) appears in NASA material, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. Permission should be obtained from the recognizable person or talent if the proposed use of the NASA material could be viewed as a commercial exploitation of that person.”
I don’t understand how the footage of the astronauts from the same event (Crew Demo 2 launch) can be pool footage in the public domain for use by the DNC, but for the RNC permission is needed (again, not referring to the spousal issue). What makes the difference? I am talking solely about the use of the astronauts images.
I apologize for asking these types of questions, but as I am one of those folks who never obtained a college degree I am not as skilled in these areas as others are. Thanks for your understanding.
I have asked for a comment from NASA. For all we know both astronauts agreed to a request from the DNC.
I also have not achieved a degree. However, I think that images of our astronauts should be able to be used by both political parties. No one political party should be able to claim the high ground for NASA. Programs are decades in the making, and so any achievement (such as the recent crew ISS) can not be claimed by any President or party.
Maybe it is just the deep developing visceral dislike people have built up over the last 3 1/2 years about the liar in chief. This is a president that has:
Donald Trump has lowest approval ratings of any President in US history
https://www.independent.co….
Sooner than later the extreme right will have to come to terms with this. College courses will be taught about this presidency for decades to come. From the high turn over rate or his claim of only picking the best people, which has to turned out to be the worst criminals since so many have gone to jail.
All the president’s (convicted) men
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel…
Just about every high ranking person that left this administration has written a tell all book on just how bad this president has been.
22 new books that reveal the inner workings of the Trump administration
https://www.businessinsider…
They ALL can’t be wrong! Heck even his relatives have written books on him and now leaked tapes from his sister about him:
Sunday shows – Leaked audio of Trump’s sister reverberates
https://thehill.com/homenew…
People are to the point of treating anything from the president as toxic.
I think that Crew Dragon Demo 2 reminded the politicians that there is still something to be gained in terms of national self-esteem from human spaceflight.