President Holds Out-of-this-World Conference Call
EmailABC News’ Sunlen Miller reports: With members of Congress and DC-area middle school children by his side, President Obama spent 28 minutes on a videoconference with astronauts on the International Space Station and the shuttle Discovery. “We’re really proud about the extraordinary work that our American astronauts are doing. You are a representative of the dedication and sense of adventure and discovery that you know we’re so proud of,” Obama said to the members of Discovery, the first space mission on Obama’s watch. The president also spoke with two astronauts from Russia and Japan who joined the Americans on the International Space Station. “This is an example of the kind of spirit and cooperation that you know we can apply not just in space but here on the ground as well,” the president said. The president — who no doubt has job creation on his mind even in space — inquired about the installation of solar panels that would increase the number of people that could work out of the space station. The crew reported to the president that the work they are doing will roughly double the amount of solar power available to support a larger crew. “We’re investing back here on the ground a whole array of solar and other renewable energy projects and so to find out that you’re doing this up on the space station is particularly exciting,” Obama added. The president opened up the floor to the roughly 20 school children who surrounded him in the Roosevelt Room to ask questions of the astronauts. Among them came — as anticipated — many cute questions: can you play video games in space? What do you eat? Do you have a lot of free time in space? The president sprinkled in a few of his own inquires about life in space — inquiring about fitness, food, hair styles, and yes, even email. “Do you still drink Tang up there?” he jokingly asked the astronauts. (They do not anymore.) “Does weightlessness have an impact in terms of ability to sleep?” he wondered. (It takes awhile to get used to.) “Are you tempted to cut your hair shorter,” the president asked a female astronaut with long hair which was sticking out in all directions. (She does not think she’d look good with short hair, so no.) And how does email work for the astronauts? (It’s not as fast as on the ground and they can only synch emails once or twice a day, but there is a form of communication that the astronauts use to keep in touch.) Discovery’s crew has carried out three spacewalks during their mission. The shuttle will undock from the International Space Station on Wednesday and is anticipated to return to the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday. — Sunlen Miller
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“We’re investing back here on the ground a whole array of solar and other renewable energy projects and so to find out that you’re doing this up on the space station is particularly exciting,” Obama added.
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They were going to drill for oil off the coast of the space station, but environmentalists didn’t approve.
Posted by: MayBee | March 24, 2009, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Diane Feinstien: The Mohave Desert is no place to put solarspanels it will destroy the appearance of the desert
Ted and Robert Kenndy Jr: Windturbine farms off the coast of Cape Cod are unacceptable!!!! PROGRESSIVE MY BUTT!!!
3 GLobal conferences canceled, 1 in new york for.. get this… too cold adn snow LMAO
Posted by: Cabinet of Clowns starring Obama | March 24, 2009, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm
I wonder if the Japanese astronaut wanted to ask him why he doesn’t just build more nuclear plants, like Japan does.
Posted by: MayBee | March 24, 2009, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm
The global climate alarmists have made it so that any variation in the climate is man made. What a bunch of bunk. First it was warming being the fault of man, now after years of cooling, its global climate change is because of man. If anyone buys into this, I have an AIG… sorry AIU investment plan for toxic assets… wait Legacy assets for you.
Posted by: KR | March 24, 2009, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm
The news said they wanted to build some “green” wind turbines in part of the Mohave Desert . However Barbara Boxer says there is a rare dry land terrapin that lives there that they must protect at all cost. So she is proposing legislation that will make this part of the desert a wilderness area. Thus stopping the building of wind turbines and the transmission of power from them. So , just who is going to win this one ? Who is the “greenest” ? Boxer, Pelosi and their environmental “save the planet greenies”,or Obama, Al Gore and their “clean energy greenies”? I am not taking sides. I am just looking forward to seeing who has the most clout on this one. Are they going to build a windmill just so they can say “Oh, lookie what we did”, and not be able to get power from it ? Very interesting !! Very government !!
Posted by: Old Mo | March 24, 2009, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
This was wonderful! I’ve never seen this before from any President and I know that this is an experience that these kids will never forget. Kudos Mr. President!
Great to see a President that’s engaging and funny, even in a time of uncertainty. President Obama inspires hope from every level and that’s what people need most right now…HOPE!
I think Barack Obama does prove that you can indeed walk and chew gum at the same time as President!
Posted by: Dee | March 24, 2009, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
“The global climate alarmists have made it so that any variation in the climate is man made. What a bunch of bunk. First it was warming being the fault of man, now after years of cooling, its global climate change is because of man. If anyone buys into this, I have an AIG… sorry AIU investment plan for toxic assets… wait Legacy assets for you.”
The temporary cooling is independent of the longer range warming trend. They are not related. As for “anyone who buys into this…” you might want to talk to the scientific community who is unanimously onboard the global warming train. But what do scientists know. I mean, these guys aren’t even on the RNC payroll. Anyway, it’s okay…it’s just our planet and we’ll be long gone by the time any real impact to humans is manisfested anyway. Let’s party!
Posted by: silky | March 24, 2009, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
“Are they going to build a windmill just so they can say “Oh, lookie what we did”, and not be able to get power from it ? Very interesting !! Very government !!”
I’m curious why there hasn’t been any mention of helium-3 in all this alternative energy talk. It is believed that one shuttle-sized load of helium-3 from the moon can supply energy to the US for a year.
Posted by: silky | March 24, 2009, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
But was there room for me, the lowly teleprompter?
Posted by: TOTUS | March 24, 2009, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
William, I agree. What is the obsession with the teleprompter on the part of the right wing? Do they have nothing of substance to offer on the important issues of the day that they must focus on the use of a teleprompter!Ike was the first president to use a teleprompter and EVERY president since has used one. So what is the point? Every president relies heavily on prepared remarks when possible. Many used typed notes when giving a speech. Obama, arguably the most techy of our presidents, prefers a teleprompter. So what?
Posted by: Afton Girl | March 24, 2009, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
“But was there room for me, the lowly teleprompter?”
You people realize that this was never funny in the first place. Perpetuating this whole teleprompter thing just makes you all look more and more witless every day. All good Presidents (read: capable of speaking and reading at the same time) use teleprompters. None more than Ronald Reagan. It’s both not remotely funny and laughably hypocritical. That’s where the funny is in this thing.
Posted by: silky | March 24, 2009, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
“First it was warming being the fault of man, now after years of cooling, its global climate change is because of man.”
What cooling?
Oh you must be one of those smart fellas who think because its snowing outside global warming is a hoax.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 24, 2009, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
“Ike was the first president to use a teleprompter and EVERY president since has used one.”
Well, W, who notoriously struggled with reading and speaking at the same time, didn’t as much. Resulting in 3-word sentences and words that don’t exist in any Latin-based language.
Posted by: silky | March 24, 2009, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
“What is the obsession with the teleprompter on the part of the right wing”
They are attempting to change public perception of Obama’s speaking ability thru repetition of a stupid talking point.
It upsets them greatly that Obama is regarded as a great speaker while their hero Bush was regarded as an embarrassment.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 24, 2009, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
The whole teleprompter thing is about President Obama’s canned message — we’ve heard his same old ‘teen anthem’ for over a year now. WE GET IT!
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | March 24, 2009, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
Ryan C: cooling? yes Ryan the global temp is way down from predictions and the hockey stick theory is a joke. Oh and they just found 190,000 square miles of ice in the north pole that was a never accounted for…so tell me genius if the world isn’t as warm now as it was 10 years ago wouldn’t we be in a cooling pattern or at least you could say yes its true its cooler globally. Oh i get it, when its a warm summer its because of warming but when its a cold longer than normal winter that too is due to global warming. Wow it all makes sence now!
Posted by: mike | March 24, 2009, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
“Does a teleprompter work in the weightless conditions of outer space?”
“Do any of you people make over $250,000 a year and got a bonus?”
Posted by: Will Stanton | March 24, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
Weird hair day for The CHANGEling. Now that Mrs. Obama’s been in Vogue, He apparently thinks females in ANY circumstance welcome cracks about “fashion”:
from AFP …
“Obama at times seemed more keen to play a role of entertainer-in-chief.
“Can I ask you a question,” Obama asked ISS flight engineer Sandra Magnus, whose hair was floating above her head. “Were you tempted to cut your hair shorter while you were up there? Or … is it fun in weightlessness?”
Magnus said it would be best to keep her hair short but she prefers it long.
“I think it’s a real fashion statement,” joked Obama.”
Posted by: Pants on Fire | March 24, 2009, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
“Ryan C: cooling? yes Ryan the global temp is way down from predictions and the hockey stick theory is a joke”
ROFLMAO!
Down from which predictions?
“so tell me genius if the world isn’t as warm now as it was 10 years ago wouldn’t we be in a cooling pattern or at least you could say yes its true its cooler globally.”
Global temperature has risen for the last ten years…genius.
“Oh i get it, when its a warm summer its because of warming but when its a cold longer than normal winter that too is due to global warming. Wow it all makes sence now!”
Do you also believe man and dinosaurs roamed the earth at the same time?
Posted by: Ryan C | March 24, 2009, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
“Do you also believe man and dinosaurs roamed the earth at the same time?”
This one never gets old.
Posted by: silky | March 24, 2009, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
If you get all the H1B-dependent companies out of NASA, our space missions will get back on track and for far less money than the mediocre from other countries could ever produce.
Posted by: Common Sense | March 24, 2009, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm
/—–
Well, W, who notoriously struggled with reading and speaking at the same time, didn’t as much. Resulting in 3-word sentences and words that don’t exist in any Latin-based language.
—–/
W was speaking to his audience. Speech 101. His audience isn’t much capable of anything that doesn’t have any enourmous drama overcast and longer than three words. Slogan people that watched tv their whole lives. They believe that life imitates art rather than art imitating life.
Posted by: Common Sense | March 24, 2009, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm
Glad Geithner didn’t talk to them…they would have crashed within ten minutes.
Posted by: RR GOP | March 25, 2009, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm