Sean O’Keefe Sworn in Amidst the Rockets

Sean O’Keefe was publicly sworn in as NASA Administrator by Vice President Dick Cheney Tuesday. The ceremony was held in the Langley (IMAX) theater at the National Air and Space Museum. 450 people were in attendance. A reception in the museum’s exhibit area beneath a swarm of rockets followed. Both events were by invitation only and involved heavy security procedures – standard fare these days in Washington.

The attendees were a who’s who of government and industry. Among the attendees acknowledged from the podium as being present were Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and ÊDeputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Notes compiled from several attendees:

Vice President Cheney hailed former NASA Administrator Dan Goldin for his work at NASA, but said “the President and I believe Sean O’Keefe is the best man for NASA at this time”. Cheney said “the President and I believe in NASA and stand behind this agency … we are confident in its future and its ability to do great things for our country.”

Sean O’Keefe said that he would not “let you and the President down”, and sees NASA as “an important part of the national security community … I will give increased attention to that aspect of the agency’s role in the federal government.”

O’Keefe said that he was “astonished that I have been given this dream
assignment” and that his children chided him, saying “hey, Dad, I thought
you had to be smart to run NASA. You know, you’re NO rocket scientist, dad.”

Cheney, fit and somewhat trimmer, said “this is the fourth time I’ve sworn in
Sean O’Keefe… we are determined that we will continue to do so until he
gets it right – and we think that this might well be that time!”