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Presidential Candidates Mum on Space
By Andrew Chaikin
Executive Editor, Space and Science
posted: 01:05 pm ET
07 March 2000
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prez_candidates_000307 Havent heard much talk about space during this years presidential primaries? Thats nothing unusual. In fact, space exploration has never been an issue in a national election. Of the major presidential candidates in this year's contest, only Alan Keyes -- not considered a major contender in the race -- has spoken at any length about the importance of space exploration. Both Vice President Al Gore and Bill Bradley have stated in recent months they do not advocate funding for a piloted Mars mission by a certain date. Howard McCurdy, a professor of public affairs at American University, says candidates have little to gain by focusing on space. "Politically, theres no advantage to coming out and being in favor of space exploration in the campaign," McCurdy said. "It makes you look like Alan Keyes. Or Jerry Brown. Its not a great campaign issue. I dont think it gets you votes. In fact, it probably loses votes." Political realities, says McCurdy, have prompted NASA chief Dan Goldin to avoid efforts to make space a campaign issue. "You would just risk antagonizing one of the potential winners."Elections aside, one veteran of "space politics" says most politicians just arent that interested in space. "You dont have a huge number of members of Congress who are passionately interested in space," says former Congressional staffer Jim Muncy, who assisted representative Dana Rohrabacher on the House space science subcommittee. 
"Politically, there's no advantage to coming out and being in favor of space exploration in the campaign... I don't think it gets you votes. In fact, itprobably loses votes."
According to Muncy, there are perhaps "a couple of dozen" members of the House who pay attention to space activities, either because of a personal interest or because their districts have space-related businesses or facilities. But even for legislators with constituents who are employed in space activities, they often have more pressing issues competing for their attention, Muncy said. In the Senate, said Muncy, its even harder for space to compete for attention. Senators "have even less time to look at issues that arent essential to their state, or vital national issues they care about," he said. Muncy's comments are supported by data from the National Opinion Research Center in Chicago, which includes a question about space exploration in its biannual surveys on national issues. On average, between 1972 and 1996, the lions share of respondents, some 47 percent, felt that the government spent too much money on space exploration. Those who wanted an increase in space budgets averaged 11 percent, while 36 percent felt the amount being spent on space was "about right."
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