Kerry Blows Opportunity at KSC

28 July 2004: Right Stuff, Wrong Staff: John Kerry Visits NASA and Blows a Photo Op, SpaceRef

“On Monday Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry made a campaign stop at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Monday. Kerry was accompanied by former Ohio Senator John Glenn and Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Bob Graham. Photos taken of this visit depict Kerry and others wearing so called “bunny suits” which are required of all visitors entering a space shuttle orbiter in the Shuttle Processing Facility. Bumbling by Kerry’s staff, and a press corps itching for something to make fun of, and a perfect photo opportunity turns into a media nightmare. The net loser? NASA.”

26 July 2004: John Kerry Visits NASA Kennedy Space Center – Photos

28 July 2004: Craig Kilborn re-enacts Kerry Photo-op on CBS (image)

28 July 2004: NASA defends photos of Kerry during his tour of space center, Florida Today

“Furthermore, NASA spokesman Bill Johnson said the Kerry campaign asked that the pictures be taken of the senator’s unusually up-close tour of the Discovery and that processing be expedited so reporters could have them.”

28 July 2004: Not Quite Ready for His Close-Up, NY Times

“Mr. Kerry’s aides say privately that they had no idea anyone would be photographing him when he visited NASA in Florida on Monday and donned a special suit to tour the space shuttle Discovery.”

28 July 2004: Kerry ‘bunny suit’ pics bring laughs from GOP, Newsday

“Kerry’s campaign professed to be unconcerned about the pictures, with one Kerry official saying his worries were “zero. Absolutely zero.” Republicans have had far less success painting Kerry as out of step, with Kerry running even with Bush in the polls. But this campaign official also said the campaign didn’t expect the pictures of Kerry’s tour with two other senators to be made public. “We were told that this was a private tour, and images of them wouldn’t be released,” said one Kerry official.”