h (Rand Simberg) wrote in message . ..
On 05 Dec 2003 16:52:03 GMT, in a place far, far away,
(TKalbfus) made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

There's ample reason to believe that. He was willing to spend what it
took to beat the Russians to the moon, but no more.


Its fairly easy to put words into JFKs mouth, he can't say otherwise. T

I'm saying what he said.

Out of context, sure. The tape you keep quoting from was recorded
during a meeting to review the supplementary budget NASA needed to
support a manned landing before 1970. JFK was positioning himself as
anyone who is negotiating on price - namely, showing a willingness to
'walk away' in order to get a better price.

You claim to know through 'logic' that JFK would spend what it took to
go to the moon and no more. This is absolutely true of LBJ, but not
JFK.

Clearly the fact that JFK was a strong supporter of ROVER and NERVA
programs and continued to support these programs publicly with
powerful visionary statements - plainly shows he was willing to spend
money in support of a larger vision. Obviously shows that he viewed
the moon landing as just the first step in a bright future of space
development for the United States.

Check it out;


News Conference #10
By President John F. Kennedy
State Department Auditorium, Washington, D.C.
Friday, April 21, 1961, 10:00 a.m. EST


QUESTION: Mr. President, you don't seem to be pushing the Space
Program nearly as energetically now as you suggested during the
campaign that you thought it should be pushed. In view of the feeling
of many people in this country that we must do everything we can to
catchup with the Russians as soon as possible, do you anticipate
applying any sort of crash program?

THE PRESIDENT: We have added, I think it was 130 million dollars to
the budget on Space several weeks ago, which provides some speed-up
for Saturn, and some speed-up for Nova, and some speed-up for Rover.
And I will say that the budget for space next year will be around two
billion dollars.

Now we are now, and have been for some time, attempting to make a
determination as to -- in developing larger boosters, whether the
emphasis should be put on chemical, nuclear rockets or liquid fuel,
how much this would cost, and some of these programs have been
estimated to be between twenty and forty billion dollars. We are
attempting to make a determination as to which program offers the best
hope before we embark on it, because you may commit a relatively small
sum of money now for results in 1967, 8 or 9, which will cost you
billions of dollars. And therefore the Congress passed yesterday the
bill providing for a Space Council which will be chaired by the Vice
President. We are attempting to make a determination as to which of
these various proposals offers the best hope. And when that
determination is made we will then make a recommendation to the
Congress.

In addition, we have to consider whether there is any program now,
regardless of its cost, which offers us hopes of being pioneers in a
project. It is possible to spend billions of dollars in these projects
in Space to the detriment of other programs and still not be
successful. We are behind, as I said before, in large boosters. We
have to make a determination whether there is any effort we could make
in time or money which could put us first in any new area.

Now I don't want to start spending the kind of money that I am talking
about without making a determination based on careful scientific
judgments as to whether a real success can be achieved or whether
because we are so far behind now is this particular race we are going
to be second in this decade.

So I would say to you that it is a matter of great concern, but I
think that before we break through and begin a program which would not
reach a completion, as you know, until the end of this decade; for
example, trips to the moon, may be ten years off, maybe a little less,
but are quite far away and involve, as I say, an enormous sum, I don't
think we ought to rush into it and begin them until we really know
where we are going to end up. And that study is now being undertaken
under the direction of the Vice President.


News Conference Number 46
President John F. Kennedy
State Department Auditorium
Washington, D.C.
December 12, 1962
4:00 PM EDT (Wednesday)
332 In Attendance

QUESTION: Mr. President, after your trip to Los Alamos Laboratory, New
Mexico, is it your intention to ask for more money to speed up Project
Rover, or for nuclear propulsion in space?

THE PRESIDENT: We are going to let these tests go on of the reactor.
These tests should be completed by July. If they are successful, then
we will put more money into the program, which would involve the Nerva
and Rift, both the engine and the regular machine. We will wait until
July, however, to see if these tests are successful.

It should be understood that the nuclear rocket, even under the most
favorable circumstances, would not play a role in any first lunar
landing. This will not come into play until 1970 or '71. It would be
useful for future trips to the moon or trips to Mars. But we have a
good many areas competing for our available space dollars, and we have
to try to channel it into those programs which will bring us a result,
first, on our moon landing, and then to consider Mars.

******
DECLASSIFIED TAPE FROM JFK LIBRARY - Description;

The President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) meeting on November
20, 1962 is also included in this tape. This PSAC meeting provides
updates on the Rover Project, a nuclear powered propulsion system. The
case is made that despite the lack of a specific mission for Rover,
the resulting advance in technological capability would be necessary
for future manned exploration of the near solar system. It would also
provide an alternative system in case of failure of the Apollo
Program, and that the scientific breakthrough would enhance national
prestige. The NASA/DOD budget projections for space programs, civil
defense and civil defense shelters are also discussed.

*******

Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs
President John F. Kennedy
Delivered in person before a joint session of Congress
May 25, 1961

First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving
the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and
returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this
period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the
long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or
expensive to accomplish. We propose to accelerate the development of
the appropriate lunar space craft. We propose to develop alternate
liquid and solid fuel boosters, much larger than any now being
developed, until certain which is superior. We propose additional
funds for other engine development and for unmanned
explorations--explorations which are particularly important for one
purpose which this nation will never overlook: the survival of the man
who first makes this daring flight. But in a very real sense, it will
not be one man going to the moon--if we make this judgment
affirmatively, it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to
put him there.

Secondly, an additional 23 million dollars, together with 7
million dollars already available, will accelerate development of the
Rover nuclear rocket. This gives promise of some day providing a means
for even more exciting and ambitious exploration of space, perhaps
beyond the moon, perhaps to the very end of the solar system itself.

Third, an additional 50 million dollars will make the most of our
present leadership, by accelerating the use of space satellites for
world-wide communications.

Fourth, an additional 75 million dollars--of which 53 million
dollars is for the Weather Bureau--will help give us at the earliest
possible time a satellite system for world-wide weather observation.

Let it be clear--and this is a judgment which the Members of the
Congress must finally make--let it be clear that I am asking the
Congress and the country to accept a firm commitment to a new course
of action, a course which will last for many years and carry very
heavy costs: 531 million dollars in fiscal '62--an estimated seven to
nine billion dollars additional over the next five years. If we are to
go only half way, or reduce our sights in the face of difficulty, in
my judgment it would be better not to go at all.