Up the moonbase!

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The topic title is goofy on purpose.

What do you fellow political observers think of Newt Gingrich? Good political opponent for Obama?

With all the attack ads between the republican candidates I think nobody stands a chance of beating Obama in 2012 right now.

There was nothing wrong with Newt Gingrich talking about space policy. Just as there was nothing wrong with John Kerry visiting NASA But both events were turned into something bordering on crazy for political purposes. The US government spends $18 billion a year on NASA, half on HSF, and having a clue about how it should be spent is just good policy. The other candidates just mumbled platitudes.

As for him being a candidate, he's already lost the primary. Gingrich had a lot of problems as a candidate.

Gingrich still has a shot at becoming the Vice Presidential candidate. This way he can champion the moon base idea all he wants. As presidential candidate his critics would call his moon base idea a waste of money. But since the Vice President doesn't have any power his moon base idea is not a threat politically and will shore up support from the aerospace industry.

Still Simon_says, I saw on the daily show he said that in response to being called too ambitious. That's just hilarious.

What is wrong with ambition?

Nothing, But he said it in response to being called ambitious.

He was poking fun at himself when talking about the colony idea that he'd mentioned years earlier.. But that wasnt his policy. His policy he gave in Florida. It involved a moon base (not colony as many claim) by 2020 by relying on prizes and private industry more than traditional NASA. Also using existing funds and not increasing the budget. He would never have made that date but at least he had an idea and the stones to articulate it. The other candidates said very little about the subject.

The media, and his opponents, just pushed the lazy button and didnt really listen to him. Some in the space media looked at it, but few people keep up with that.

Eisenhower was the most ambitious. He proposed a manned mission to Saturn.