alternatehistory.com
George Low
And now a little entry about the space program influencing politics...
December 1977
George Low had been a loyal NASA deputy administrator to Paine, during Fletcher brief stint, and ultimately to James Beggs. Now it was time to leave, to return to Rensselaer, the technical institute that had given him so much in his youth, before the NASA days.
He and Beggs were leaving on a triumphant note - the success of the second joint-flight with the Soviets.
They were not the only to leave the sapce arena.
That day George Low paid a last visit to Olin "Tiger" Teague, a staunch supporter of the space program whose fast declining health was cuting into his political career.
Thirty years before Teague had fought in WWII, from Overlord Utah beach to the Siegfried line were he had ran out of luck - some shrapnel had literally blown his ankle, and he had been shot, and barely survived. Teague famously saif about his landing in Utah " I saw piles of dead bodies and wondered how such things happened. I felt it was the fault of government, so I would embrace a political career."
And now the old battle wounds had awoken, forcing Tiger Teague into retirement. A WWII highly decorated hero, Teague had fought teeth and nails for the veterans rights. And, incidentally, for NASA: he had been one of those congressman – generously - holding the purse of the space agency budget. That, and the fact that Texas was a key state benefitting a lot from the space program.
That time was gone, however, and Teague now focused on his succession, about who would succeed him as Texas 6th district representative in the House.
The battle promised to be epic. On the Democratic side only were three candidates. There was some TV anchor, Ron Godbey, facing two favourites of Teague - Chet Edwards and Phil Gramm.
Two years before Godbey had seriously challenged Teague, and now others concerns had arosed. Olin Teague had made Gramm his logical successor... until Gramm proved to be an asshole that tried to backstab him, pushing him by the wayside. And by the way, Gramm looked more and more like a Republican lost on the Democratic side. He's speaking like Reagan, damn him. Deregulation all day long.
Ultimately Teague affect went to a young student of Gramm himself, Chet Edwards. The strategy ultimately worked, although by an extremely thin margin. Edwards bet Gramm only a mere 80 votes, and ultimately won the runoff against Godbey... and he was only twenty-six !
Low made sure Teague thoroughly briefed his successor over the necessity of a healthy, well-funded space program.
Low has been invited to the party celebrating Chet Edwards victory. Teague and Low shared a drink, and Teague noted "That was a razor thin margin for Chet. Who knows, if I had funded a different manned space program , here in Texas, maybe that Phil Gram could have won that election. How about that, George. The space program changing the face of politics. It says here !”
http://www.historyforsale.com/olin-e-teague-photograph-signed/dc315689
Olin "Tiger" Teague.
Post scriptum: just browse "Phil Gramm" on Google and see by yourself how much damage he has done. America (and the world) would be better place if he had not been elected, ever.
December 1977
George Low had been a loyal NASA deputy administrator to Paine, during Fletcher brief stint, and ultimately to James Beggs. Now it was time to leave, to return to Rensselaer, the technical institute that had given him so much in his youth, before the NASA days.
He and Beggs were leaving on a triumphant note - the success of the second joint-flight with the Soviets.
They were not the only to leave the sapce arena.
That day George Low paid a last visit to Olin "Tiger" Teague, a staunch supporter of the space program whose fast declining health was cuting into his political career.
Thirty years before Teague had fought in WWII, from Overlord Utah beach to the Siegfried line were he had ran out of luck - some shrapnel had literally blown his ankle, and he had been shot, and barely survived. Teague famously saif about his landing in Utah " I saw piles of dead bodies and wondered how such things happened. I felt it was the fault of government, so I would embrace a political career."
And now the old battle wounds had awoken, forcing Tiger Teague into retirement. A WWII highly decorated hero, Teague had fought teeth and nails for the veterans rights. And, incidentally, for NASA: he had been one of those congressman – generously - holding the purse of the space agency budget. That, and the fact that Texas was a key state benefitting a lot from the space program.
That time was gone, however, and Teague now focused on his succession, about who would succeed him as Texas 6th district representative in the House.
The battle promised to be epic. On the Democratic side only were three candidates. There was some TV anchor, Ron Godbey, facing two favourites of Teague - Chet Edwards and Phil Gramm.
Two years before Godbey had seriously challenged Teague, and now others concerns had arosed. Olin Teague had made Gramm his logical successor... until Gramm proved to be an asshole that tried to backstab him, pushing him by the wayside. And by the way, Gramm looked more and more like a Republican lost on the Democratic side. He's speaking like Reagan, damn him. Deregulation all day long.
Ultimately Teague affect went to a young student of Gramm himself, Chet Edwards. The strategy ultimately worked, although by an extremely thin margin. Edwards bet Gramm only a mere 80 votes, and ultimately won the runoff against Godbey... and he was only twenty-six !
Low made sure Teague thoroughly briefed his successor over the necessity of a healthy, well-funded space program.
Low has been invited to the party celebrating Chet Edwards victory. Teague and Low shared a drink, and Teague noted "That was a razor thin margin for Chet. Who knows, if I had funded a different manned space program , here in Texas, maybe that Phil Gram could have won that election. How about that, George. The space program changing the face of politics. It says here !”
http://www.historyforsale.com/olin-e-teague-photograph-signed/dc315689
Olin "Tiger" Teague.
Post scriptum: just browse "Phil Gramm" on Google and see by yourself how much damage he has done. America (and the world) would be better place if he had not been elected, ever.
- Archibald
- Word Count: 550