Political Commentary, Space

From Second On The Moon

38 Comments

…to the back of the plane:

Aldrin said tonight in front of a packed house in a National Geographic auditorium in Washington D.C. that he presumed he might have a chance to speak with the President about options for space during the flight to Kennedy.

But it didn’t happen. President Obama had nothing to say to the moonwalker and didn’t seem to want to hear anything from Aldrin on the long flight to Florida. So Aldrin sat in the back of Air Force One and never saw Obama – until it landed.

When it landed, Aldrin said he was summoned to the front of the plane. But he found out it was not to talk about space policy. Instead, President Obama wanted Aldrin to emerge from Air Force One next to Obama for a photo op. The moonwalker was to be a mere prop.

I’m shocked, shocked.

Actually, despite the myth, the president has always struck me as a very intellectually incurious man. And this puts the lie, I think, to his comments about how he supports the space program because he remembers the astronauts coming back as a kid in Hawaii. He doesn’t give a damn about space, which is a good thing, because if he did, he’d screw it up like everything else he’s passionate about.

[Update a few minutes later]

Stand by for one of the usual sycophants of The One to stop by and call Buzz a liar in 3…2…1…

[Update late afternoon]

Anyone who wants to buy Buzz’s (and Leonard’s) new book can help me out as well by buying it through this link.

Oh, and that story about Buzz punching out Bart Sibrel a decade or so ago? It’s a hoax.

[Late-night update]

My spam filter just caught this comment, from an anonymous someone with a probably made-up gmail address: “Yeah, Rand, f**k you and f**k your affiliate link.”

Note: I added the asterisks, in case anyone was wondering.

I’m not sure to make of that. Why would my trying to make a little money off my website by selling products that my readers might find interesting make someone so angry?

38 thoughts on “From Second On The Moon”

  1. I’m frankly amazed. Even for Obama, you’d think someone like Aldrin would be a big deal. Nah, just need a photo.

    This may be the emptiest suit in American history.

    1. Aldrin should treasure the opportunity to have a photo of his insignificant self taken with the most awesome person to ever live or who will ever live, on Earth or any other planet.

      Or something like that.

      1. Egad. In a few centuries, Obama will be completely forgotten, but people will still know the names Armstrong and Aldrin.

        1. When someone this incompetent and corrupt holds this much power they’ll be remembered. If there’s any justice his name will become a curse or profanity.

  2. Considering what Obama campaign staffers do to props of people, Aldrin might want to count himself lucky.

    1. I guess Buzz should be thankful that he didn’t have done to him what the prop of da Hillabeast had done to her.

  3. We think of Dr. Aldrin (as in MIT PhD recipient) as 2nd Man on the Moon.

    But he got us to the Moon — his PhD thesis was on orbital rendezvous. His Gemini mission solved the problem of on-orbit EVA’s. Many years later, he was actively writing scholarly papers on Earth-Mars “cyclers” — essentially an extension of his PhD topic.

    An astronaut (still) publishing in the scientific literature in the field of Engineering Mechanics, count me as impressed.

    1. As a research engineer, I also understand the Dr. Aldrin likes to explain a point using his hands . . .

          1. 72? Ah, I see where I goofed… I thought the incident happened in 2009 for some reason, but it was 2002.

            Either that, or my secret is out; I cannot count. 🙂

    2. “An astronaut (still) publishing in the scientific literature in the field of Engineering Mechanics, count me as impressed.”

      Is he really? Good for him.

    3. Yes, the moon landing involved an engineer (masters in Aerospace Engineering) and a PhD in Astronautics. Bet most people don’t know that, just assuming they were pilots and nothing else.

  4. Yes, I heard the same story in 2010 when Dr. Aldrin was doing an event at the Luxor here in Las Vegas so its not new. But then what do you expect when the President’s first space policy was written as an after thought by his advisor on education?

    BTW I just finished his new book, “Mission to Mars”. Its a great plan for opening space. He has an entire chapter on the International Lunar Development Corporation concept as a stepping stone to building the infrastructure needed. Folks should use Rand’s website to get a copy from Amazon 🙂

  5. Ah, actually Obama has already done that. Aldrin has belatedly realized that.

  6. I wonder if the flight crew realized he was a passenger, and if they’d have been inclined to say, “Buzz, you sit up front with the pilots and read off fuel remaining and the radar altitude till touchdown.” 🙂

  7. To have an opportunity to have a conversation with Buzz Aldrin… and to pass it up??? Obviously president choom really wasn’t in the sixties as the saying goes (no, I don’t put it passed him to be an eight year old doobie brother.) One of the most pathetic things I’ve ever heard.

    I just don’t believe it really happened.

    You bet it did. Both!

    1. An opportunity to have a conversation with Buzz Aldrin isn’t that difficult to come by. He goes to space conferences.. he’ll talk to anyone who approaches him. This happened to me at ISDC 2010. After 20 minutes I was starting to wonder if I’d ever get to another session. People I knew were walking past me and throwing me smirks that spoke of the mistake I had made.

  8. Oh, and that story about Buzz punching out Bart Sibrel a decade or so ago? It’s a hoax.

    LOL. You made me click. Well played, Rand.

        2. I’ve seen samples of your sarcasm. It’s usually better than that. I’d be willing to wager 95% of the readers of that piece, who would have no idea who Sibrel was afterall, would take it literally to mean you are claiming Sibrel invented the punch.
          You present Sibrel in the article as a foolish person who can’t be trusted so the natural conclusion, since it is a news site, is that Sibrel’s claims of a punch can’t be trusted even with video evidence. It’s not like this article appeared in “The Onion”.

          Bob Clark

  10. Actually, Mr. Obama heard someone say “…blah, blah, blah, one of the first moon walkers…”, and when he didn’t see Michael Jackson, then he just moved on.

  12. Rand,

    I don’t know where the reporter you cited got the idea its a hoax, but Buzz did what he had to protect himself from the nut was harnessing him as his lawyer stated. But if you don’t believe the incident happened just ask Buzz next time you see him.

    From the LA Times.

    http://articles.latimes.com/2002/sep/11/local/me-buzz11

    Police Probe Astronaut’s Fist Launch
    LOS ANGELES
    Violence: Buzz Aldrin apparently was provoked before hitting a moon-landing skeptic, Beverly Hills authorities say.
    September 11, 2002

    [[[Aldrin’s attorney, Robert O’Brien, said the astronaut, who lives in Westwood, “was forced to protect himself and his stepdaughter when he was aggressively confronted” outside the Luxe Hotel.

    O’Brien said Sibrel, whom he described as 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds, “intercepted” Aldrin, who weighs about 160 pounds and is 5 feet 10 inches, and physically blocked him from leaving.]]]

    [[[“Mr. Aldrin then left the interview when he found out what it was all about, but was followed by Mr. Sibrel,” Gilmond said. “[Sibrel] poked Mr. Aldrin repeatedly with the Bible, telling him to repent, and pushing the Bible in his face.”

    Although the astronaut did hit Sibrel, Gilmond said, the video maker apparently wasn’t injured. Aldrin left before police arrived, Gilmond said.]]]

    1. I don’t know where the reporter you cited got the idea its a hoax, but Buzz did what he had to protect himself from the nut was harnessing him as his lawyer stated. But if you don’t believe the incident happened just ask Buzz next time you see him.

      Tom, as usual, you are hilarious, albeit unintentionally. And once again, you demonstrate your inability to either follow, or read links.

      Hint: Buzz actually called the “reporter” after the fact, and thanked him for the report.

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