Al Jazeera Video Reaction: Angry Arm Waving From The Far Right

He he he. The isolationist come forward with talk radio from the far right.

The one big Monkey has been reduced to KSC yelling and beating its chest KSC KSC KSC! The launch monopoly is gone with the wind! No banana for KSC!

JSC and MSFC and moving forward with productive work for the agency!

As a proud member of the "vast right wing conspiracy" I think it is objectively obvious that for the NASA administrator to admit "foremost, he (BO) wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world" is BUFFOONERY!

I can't blame NASA's yes-man (Bolden) but I can certainly blame BO!

Message to BO: NASA's job is to put astronauts in space space and hopefully back to the Moon. Not to boost the self-esteem of Muslims!

NASA has always been a tool for international relations. The space race was (amongst other things) a contest to show the third world (those undecided about whom to ally with) which side had greater power and technology. The space station was (amongst other things) a vehicle to soak up the talents of under-worked Russian engineers who might otherwise find new employers.

I don't see why it is inappropriate for NASA to continue to assist the US in foreign relations.

Maybe, but was NEVER job #1!!! And that makes ALL the difference.

Even though I am a Republican and don't like Obama, this is a bit too much. This was clearly a public relations interview and the quote should be taken in that context. Forget about the "Muslim" quote for a second. The other two items that Bolden mentions before the "Muslim" quote are

"...to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math, ... to expand our international relationships, "

And it was a response to question as to why he was doing an Al Jazeera interview. The context was clearly public relations because even without the "Muslim" reference, the other two items are clearly NOT NASA's prime mission.

What about the angry baton waving far left?

It's not like this is NASA's first Muslim Outreach program.

Under Ronald Reagan, Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud flew on the Shuttle. It wasn't because he had any specialized skills for launching the Arab Satellite Communications Organization’s ARABSAT-1B satellite in space. (Both payload and "payload specialist" were launched almost entirely at American taxpayer expense.) A few months earlier he had no space knowledge and was acting Saudi Information Minister.

Funny all of these are from faux news. Even though this is sensationalist reporting, I hope it starts putting it closer on the radar of BO. NASA has been flailing in all directions since that new budget came out. NASA needs some serious love before she runs away from home, moves into a split level with some guy named "Jim Bob" and only calls when she needs more money.

This is a PR push to get one thing "Oil Money". Stop being insulted and realize U.S. HSF is broke. Politicians don't care how it got that way, they just know they need more money to keep going.

Give me a break.

Rush Limbaugh: "Hubba flubba! Hubba flubba flubba hubba flubba! Barack Hussein Obama."

There is always "angry arm waving" from the party not in power, ever since George Washington left office. That does not invalidate their arguments.

In this case, I take a lesson from baseball. That is "play your position." I think Administrator Bolden is 'out of position' as it were. You can't play both left field and first base. I would have just as much of a problem with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs telling folks about campaign finance laws. The two just don't go together.
Now if Bolden were negotiating the Saudi's financing 3 more shuttle flights, that's different. That, however, does not appear to be the case.

CNN, Florida Today, The Orlando Sentinel, The Boston Herald and Space.com have all covered this story.

Stating that only right-wing media organizations have covered it is factually inaccurate.

This has happened before. FOX covered a story and then other media outlets (realizing that they had missed or slept through an event) catch up and begin covering it as well.

[LA Times: July 8, 2010] You know how Wile E. Coyote straps himself to the rocket and lights the fuse? And it burns. And burns. Silence. Nothing. He's poised, hopefully, awaiting launch. We wait, painfully, for the bad thing certain to happen.
If you watch Al Jazeera, you know Obama's new mission for NASA: To help Muslim nations 'feel good'

"Maybe, but was NEVER job #1!!! And that makes ALL the difference."

Sure it was - NASA's #1 job for the first decade of its existence was to make us look better than the Russians. Pure foreign relations. It had nothing to do with science, technology, or anything else.

NASA's "outreach" up until now (other than a few education programs in the US) has been by doing spectacular things and wowing people worldwide. People were just naturally "reached".

Now though, we're apparently making a proactive attempt to "reach out", which is almost like begging for a compliment rather than letting it come naturally, which is by far the best way.

It's kinda like a leader saying "You WILL respect me" rather than earning and getting respect naturally (e.g., von Braun).