Risky Business

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85i.phtml

Air Date: February 8th, 1986

Host: Ron Reagan

Musical Guest: The Nelsons

Special Guests: Penn & Teller



http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85imono.phtml


Ron Reagan's Monologue

.....Ron Reagan

Don Pardo: Ladies and gentlemen, Ron Reagan!

[ audience cheers Ron as he enters Home Base ]

Ron Reagan, Jr.: Yeah, you haven't lived 'til you've hyperventilated on live television! Od course, I just want to try something here. I want to see a show of hands: how many people here.. think that I was asked to host "Saturday Night Live".. because I'm a new contributing editor with Playboy magazine?

[ audience cheers and applauds ]

Oh, really? That's alright. Okay. Now.. how many people here.. think that I was asked to host the show.. because.. my father's.. the President of the United States?

[ audience cheers and applauds louder ]

That's what's I thought. That's what I thought, yeah!

You know, a lot of people - most people - believe that the President of the United States - whoever he or she might be - is the msot powerful person in the world. But how many people know.. who the second.. most powerful person in the world is? [ audience members begin to quietly chant responses, as Ron chuckles ] You might think it's the Secretary of the State, maybe.. maybe the Chief of Staff, Speaker of the House.. maybe even the First Lady. [ shakes head ] Uh-uh. [ points thumb toward himself ] That's right! That's right. The President's youngest son.. is the second most owerful person.. in the world!

It has its advantages, I have to say. For instance, uh.. oh.. you might have fantasized about taking an F-16 fighter plane out for a little low-level stunt-flying over a densely-populated area. No problem. No problem, when you're the second most powerful person in the world.

Or, uh, maybe dream of giving away multi-million dollar water projects as Christmas presents. Just a matter of a few phone calls.. when you're the second.. most powerful person.. in the world.

Okay, enough about me, right? We've got a great show. We've got The Nelsons, special guests Penn and Teller. [ audience applauds ] And, and for the first time in the history of the show, the show is being carried on the Armed Forces Television Network. [ audience cheers ] Now, it was a request - a special request - of the sub-Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. It's, uh.. it's my sister Patty.

Anyway, we'll be right back!










From 3/3/1959 ( the birthdate in Hawaii of my biological brother Thomas Reagan ) To 6/9/1979 ( premiere US TV series episode "The Bad News Bears":"Dance Fever" ) is 7403 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 2/8/1986 is 7403 days



From 3/1/1961 ( John Kennedy - Statement by the President Upon Signing Order Establishing the Peace Corps ) To 6/7/1981 ( the Baghdad Osirak construction site destroyed by Israeli Air Force ) is 7403 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 2/8/1986 is 7403 days



From 8/17/1960 ( premiere US film "The Time Machine" ) To 11/23/1980 ( premiere US TV movie "Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb" ) is 7403 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 2/8/1986 is 7403 days



From 8/17/1960 ( the Soviet Union trial of the United States Central Intelligence Agency pilot Gary Powers begins in Moscow Russia Soviet Union ) To 11/23/1980 ( premiere US TV movie "Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb" ) is 7403 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 2/8/1986 is 7403 days



From 8/1/1980 ( premiere US film "The Final Countdown" ) To 2/8/1986 is 2017 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 5/12/1971 ( Richard Nixon - Statement About House Approval of Funds for the Supersonic Transport Program ) is 2017 days



From 9/2/1965 ( the first day of my biological brother Thomas Reagan as a university student and graduate student instructor at Princeton University Princeton New Jersey United States where he earned a doctor of medicine degree as Dr. Thomas Reagan MD ) To 2/8/1986 is 7464 days

7464 = 3732 + 3732

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 1/21/1976 ( my biological brother Thomas Reagan the civilian and privately financed astronaut bound for deep space in his privately financed atom-pulse propulsion spaceship this day was his first landing the planet Mars and his documented and lawful exclusive claim to the territory of the planet Mars ) is 3732 days





http://www.tv.com/shows/saturday-night-live/ron-reagan-the-nelsons-120296/

tv.com


Saturday Night Live Season 11 Episode 9

Ron Reagan/The Nelsons

Aired Saturday 11:30 PM Feb 08, 1986 on NBC

AIRED: 2/8/86










http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1623078/bio

IMDb


Gunnar Nelson

Biography

Date of Birth 20 September 1967, Santa Monica, California, USA

Birth Name Gunnar Eric Nelson

Gunnar Nelson is a American singer-songwriter and musician who, with his twin brother Matthew Nelson, is a member of the multi-platinum-selling band Nelson










http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85iback.phtml

Back To The Future

Ronald Reagan.....Randy Quaid

Nancy Davis/Reagan.....Terry Sweeney

.....Ron Reagan

Doc.....Jon Lovitz

Director.....Robert Downey, Jr.

Actor.....Dan Vitale

Welfare Mom.....Danitra Vance

[ "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis & The News pots up ]

[ SUPER: "Steven Spielberg Presents" ]

[ SUPER: "A Take Your Oscar And Shove It Production" ]

[ SUPER: "Back To The Future" logo ]

[ dissolve to exterior, suburban house - day ]

[ dissolve to interior, Ronald Reagan talking on the phone ]

Ronald Reagan: Hello, Sid? Ron Reagan. [ a beat ] The actor? I'm sorry to bother you, Sid, but, uh.. you're my agent, and, uh.. well, I-I haven't worked in ten years. Not since, uh, 1976, unless you count.. filling in for Bob Eubanks on "The Newlywed Game." And, uh.. well.. anyway, it seems that, uh.. you never returned my calls --

[ the phone hangs up ]

Hello? Hello? Hell-o? Helloooo?? [ presses receiver ] Hello!

[ a disheveled Nancy Reagan - with dangling cigarette, hair in curlers, funky nightgown - enters and sits next to Ronald on the couch ]

Nancy Reagan: Oh, give it a rest, Dutch! Sid doesn't care about you. In his book, you're a washed-up old ham!

Ronald Reagan: Oh, but, Nancy, Sid's not like that. He cares about people. He's al ifelong Democrat, like me.

Nancy Reagan: [ snidely ] I think that says it all.

Ronald Reagan: Now, Mommy, the Democrat Party is the party of compassion. The party of the disadvantaged. The poor, the elderly!

Nancy Reagan: That about covers us. [ kills a shot ]

[ Ron Reagan, dressed as Marty McFly in life vest, enters from the front door on a skateboard ]

Ron Reagan: Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad! What's for dinner?

Nancy Reagan: My specialty - cold pizza.

[ offscreen crash sound effect from Ron ]

Nancy Reagan: [ as soft music pots up ] Oh, Ronnie.. remember how trim I was the day we first met? It was exactly thirty years ago today. In fact, right on this spot.

[ Ron re-enters, sits next to Nancy on the couch ]

[ flashing Super: "Exposition (listen carefully)" ]

Nancy Reagan: Our house was built over the old RKO Studio, where we met on the set of "Hellcats of the Navy." Your father - Ronald Reagan --

Ron Reagan: Mom. I know Dad's name.

Nancy Reagan: Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I had so much exposition to establish, I.. I got lost. Well, anyway.. a sandbag fell on your father's head. He looked so.. helpless, so pathetic.. so pitiful.. so wretched --

Ronald Reagan: Mommy, I think the boy gets the idea.

Nancy Reagan: Well, anyway, I fell for the big lug!

[ doorbell rings ]

Ronald Reagan: Well.. who could that be?

Ron Reagan: Oh, Mom, Dad. I invited Dr. Brown over for dessert.

[ Ron gets up to answer the door to Doc Brown, dressed in a crazy get-up and holding a weirdly-shaped blender ]

Doc: Ron! Ron! Well! I did it! I doscovered a way.. to travel through time! You see this blender! It's actually.. a time machine!

Ronald Reagan: Whoops! Speaking of time, uh.. it's ten o'clock, Mommy, uh.. let's go upstairs and watch Jane on "Falcon Crest."

Nancy Reagan: Ugh! do we have to? I just ate.

Ronald Reagan: Oh, Mommy.. Jane's not so bad, and.. we do need the alimony.

[ Nancy and Ronald get up to go upstairs to watch "Falcon Crest", greeting Dr. Brown as they exit the room ]

Nancy Reagan: Hell-oooooo!

Ronald Reagan: Hello, Dr. Brown.

Doc: Hello!

Ron Reagan: Now, uh.. Dr. Brown. Come on in, tell me about this invention.

Doc: Well! I got the idea about it.. ohhhhh.. about thirty years ago, when I was working on the old RKO lot! [ looking around the room ] In fact.. it was right around here! Yeah!

[ flashing Super: "More Exposition" ]

Doc: I was a Technical Advisor! On "Hellcats of the Navy"! When all of a sudden, a sandbag fell on.. some fading actor's head! It was then, that I got the idea for my flux capicator!

Ron Reagan: Yeah, well.. how does it work?

Doc: Well! The first ting you have to do.. is plug it in! Just like.. that! [ plugs blender into the wall ] Then! you see this button here? That's Mix! [ presses button, lights light up ] Then! [ pushes next sequence of buttons ] There's Liquefy! Then, Blend! And Puree! Run! Blend again! Then, the final button, is Time Travel! But.. before I push it.. [ turns blender off ] I'm gonna set the clock back.. say.. thirty years! To exactly.. thirty years ago.. today!

[ SUPER: "That's the day the sandbag fell on Ron's dad and Dr. Brown thought of time travel." ]

Ron Reagan: By the way, uh, Doc.. where did you get this blender?

Doc: Oh, I, uh.. I stole it from a 7-11, run by some very dangerous-looking Libyans!

[ doorbell rings ]

Doc: Oh! I'll get it! Probably for me! [ opens the door to Libyans ] Hi! How are yo --

[ the Libyans open fire on Doc ]

Doc: Ron! press the button! Press the button!

[ Ron presses the button on the blender, and dissolves into thin air ]

[ dissolve to "Hellcats of the Navy" movie set, thirty years in the past ]

Director: Okay! Everybody! RKO is not.. made.. of.. money! Alright? In fact, after this movie they're tearing down this studio to put up a lower-midle class housing develop!

[ Ron and the blender materialize from thin air ]

Ron Reagan: Whoa.. what year is this?

Director: Come on! Let's get going! I want to get this movie in the can while it's stil 1956! Okay?

Ron Reagan: 1956..?

Actor: [ walking past ] Hey, this is a closed set, buddy - you belong here? This is Stage 3 - "Hellcats of the Navy."

Ron Reagan: "Hellcats of the Navy"..?

Director: [ aggravated ] Where.. is.. our.. leading man?! Ron! [ raises megaphone ] Ron Reagan!! Come on!

[ cut to Ronald Reagan, costumed for his role, sitting in an actor's chair with his back to the camera. He turns to face the audience rather elegantly. ]

Ronald Reagan: Here I am!

Ron Reagan: Dad! Dad!

Ronald Reagan: Sorry. No autographs. Now, Richard.. where is that new leading lady you were telling me about?

Director: Oh, yeah. Nancy Davis. Alright, uh.. [ calling ] Nancy Davis to the set! Nancy!

[ Nancy, costumed as a big-bosumed nurse, enters the set ]

Nancy Davis: Here I am!

Ron Reagan: [ stunned ] Mom!

Director: Uh.. Nancy, Ron; Ron, Nancy. [ both are silent toward one another ] Okay, okay.. [ into the megaphone ] Places, everybody! [ looks upward ] Uh.. Bobby? Bobby! move that sandbag that's hanging over Ron's head, would you? Come on! [ steps away ]

[ Ron jumps into frame to push Ronald out of the way, as the sandbag crashes instead on Ron's head. Nancy screams. ]

[ zoom in on Ron's body, as screen wiggles briefly to flash forward a few minutes. Nancy's legs appear behind Ron's body, as she leans in to help him to his feet. ]

Nancy Davis: Hello there, handsome stranger!

Ron Reagan: Mom..?

Nancy Davis: Mom? Oh, that must be quite a bump on your head, Nicky.

Ron Reagan: Nicky?

Nancy Davis: That's the name on your tennis shoe.

Ron Reagan: That's.. th-th-that's Nike.

Nancy Davis: Oh. Sorry, Nike. It's still a very sensuous name - how about a kiss?

Ron Reagan: No! Mom! Uh.. Nancy. Nancy. But.. but you know who is a real, sensuous guy? Ronald Reagan.

Nancy Davis: Ugh. Ronald Reagan?

Ron Reagan: I think he wants to go out with you.

Nancy Davis: Not only is he not attractive in the way you are, because he wasn't hit in the head with that sandbag - but, besides that, he's a wimping, bleeding heart, liberal Democrat. The only men who make my Maidenform warm are arch-conservative, right-wing jingoists!

Ron Reagan: [ gasping ] Excuse me, Nancy. I've.. got to meet some of my intellectual New York friends, for a Ban The Bomb rally.

Nancy Davis: Oh.. that's okay! You're still attractive to me, because you were hit in the head with that sandbag!

[ Ron runs across the set, bumping into a younger, pre-occupied Dr. Bown ]

Ron Reagan: Doc!

Doc: How'd you know my name?!

Ron Reagan: Doc, I'm from the future! 1986! [ Doc appears skeptical ] I can prove it! When I got hit on the head with that sandbag, you had the inspiration for a time travel machine.

Doc: That's right! In fact, I just drew a picture of it! But, wait a minute! If you're from the future, who's the president in 1986?!

Ron Reagan: A woman named Geraldine Ferraro.

Doc: What?!

Ron Reagan: But.. she's being impeached because her.. husband stole from the.. White House petty cash.

[ flashing SUPER: "Cheap Joke" ]

Doc: It's very important that you don't interact with anybody! You could alter the future, and the results could be disastrous!

Ron Reagan: I-it's too late, it's too late. My mom already has the hots for me. You see, the bag was supposed to fall on my dad's head.. but it didn't.. and-and.. my mom's only attracted to right-wing, uh --

Doc: That's alright, I don't care! You'd just better go and fix it, or you'll never be born! Go on! Hurry!

Ron Reagan: [ walking off ] You're asking me to change his politics --

Doc: Go!!

[ Ron approaches Ronald, who's sitting in his actor's chair ] Uh.. Ron.. uh..?

Ronald Reagan: Sorry. No autographs.

Ron Reagan: No, no, no.. I want to talk politics.

Ronald Reagan: Politics? Okay. I believe a government should be judged by how well it treats the most needy among us. I believe this requires an ever-increasing role by the federal government, including massive federal programs, and the beaurocracy needed to administer them. I guess, if you had to peg my politics, you'd have to say, well, that I was a far-left liberal Democrat.

Ron Reagan: But, Ron.. as the public sector becomes larger and larger, there'll be less and less wealth to distribute.

Ronald Reagan: Hmm.. [ thinking ] Yes.. yes, I see what you mean.

Ron Reagan: The way to maximimze wealth is to set loose the creative energies of men and women free from the constraints of government intervention. The wealth will then trickle down, to the poor.

Ronald Reagan: Oh. That makes a lot of sense.

Ron Reagan: Did you know.. that every tax cut in the history of government has brought with it an actual increase in revenues?

Ronald Reagan: Really? Well, that does it! I guess I've been fooling myself all along! Put 'er there, fellow Republican! [ shakes hands with Ron ]

Ron Reagan: Terrific! Terrific! By the way, Ron, uh.. thjat cute Nancy chick kind of likes you.

Ronald Reagan: Oh, really?

Ron Reagan: Yeah. Why don't you go check her out?

Ronald Reagan: Really? Okay.

[ Rambles ambles toward Nancy Davis ]

Ronald Reagan: Uh, Miss Davis?

Nancy Davis: Nike, is that -- [ turns around, disappointed ] Yes?

Ronald Reagan: Well. Miss Davis, I just thought that.. well.. since we're going to be playing opposute each other, you might want to hear my political views.

Nancy Davis: Don't waste your breath, buster - I know where you stand.

Ronald Reagan: [ affirmatively ] No, you don't! Did you know that, for every tax cut in the history of government, that has brought along with it increased revenues?

Nancy Davis: Oh.. I'd love to hear more! How about my trailer?

Ronald Reagan: Fine.

Nancy Davis: [ drags Ronald off-screen by his tie, passing Ron and Doc ] Come on, big guy!

Ron Reagan: Doc? Doc, I did it! I did it!

Doc: Oh, good!

Ron Reagan: I've gotta get back home..

Doc: You still have the time machine! Press the button!

[ Ron presses the button, but nothing happens ]

Ron Reagan: Now, what do I do?

Doc: What?! Oh! You gotta plug it in, stupid! Here! I'll do it! 1.. 2.. there! [ plugs up the blender ]

Ron Reagan: Oh.. Doc, about the future. I've got to tell you something --

Doc: Oh, no no! No matter how good your intentions are, don't tell me! The results could be disastrous!

Ron Reagan: Okay. Bye. But.. you die a horrible death.

[ Ron dissolves into thin air ]

Doc: What?! How?! Poison?! Shot by a jealous husband?!

[ dissolve back to present-day, Ron sprawled across the couch from his present-day living room ]

Ron Reagan: Holy smokes! [ looks around ] Mom? Dad? Where is everybody?

[ a welfare mother and her numerous children come down the stairs to investigate the noise from Ron ]

Welfare Mom: What are you doing in my house? Who are you?!

Ron Reagan: I'm.. I'm Ron Reagan..

Welfare Mom: The President's son?

Ron Reagan: [ confused ] The President's son?

Welfare Mom: Yeahhhh. I recognize you from People magazine. Yeah, you're Ronald Reagan's son!

Ron Reagan: Yeah. Yeah, I am!

[ a beat ]

Welfare Mom: Get the hell out of my house! Your daddy cut off my food stamps! Get him, kids!

[ the welfare mom and her kids chase Ron out of the house, beating him with pillows as he makes his escape into the night ]










http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080689/releaseinfo

IMDb


Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980 TV Movie)

Release Info

USA 23 November 1980










http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054387/releaseinfo

IMDb


The Time Machine (1960)

Release Info

USA 17 August 1960



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054387/fullcredits

IMDb


The Time Machine (1960)

Full Cast & Crew

Rod Taylor ... H. George Wells










http://www.tv.com/shows/the-bad-news-bears/dance-fever-399695/

tv.com


The Bad News Bears Season 1 Episode 11

Dance Fever

Aired Saturday 8:00 PM Jun 09, 1979 on CBS

AIRED: 6/9/79










http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85irisky.phtml

White House Risky Business

President Ronald Reagan.....Randy Quaid

Nancy Reagan.....Terry Sweeney

.....Ron Reagan

[ open on exterior, sign: Camp David ]

[ dissolve to interior, President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan dressed in country clothing on bed, talking to Ron, Jr. over the phone ]

President Ronald Reagan: Hello, Ron? It's Dad. Uh, I'm here with Mommy and, uh.. we just arrived, and wanted to call and.. say that we arrived, and, uh.. just to see how you're doing, and uh.. well, uh.. how are you doing?

[ cut to close-up of Ron, Jr., dressed in pink shirt, obviously on the phone in the Oval Office ]

Ron Reagan: I'm fine, fine, Dad. Thanks for calling.

[ cut back to Ronald and Nancy ]

President Ronald Reagan: Now, Ron, while we're gone, you are in charge of the White House. And, uh, I don't have to remind you what a responsibility that is. So, uh.. be sure to leave the lights on, and lock the door when you go out. And, uh.. if you have any problems, with the heating or the plumbing, or anything, and you can't reach us, just call George or Barbara Bush - that's what they're there for.

[ cut back to Ron, Jr. ]

Ron Reagan: Sure, Dad. I gotcha.

[ cut back to Ronald and Nancy ]

President Ronald Reagan: Well, uh.. your mom is, uh.. Nancy motions to be handed the phone ] ..starting to give me dirty looks here.. [ Nancy humorlessly shakes her head no ] ..so, I'll hand the phone over to her.

[ Nancy takes the phone ]

Nancy Reagan: Ron? It's Mom! I just wanted to say we love you, and trust you, and, one more thing - this is very important. You know the red phone in the Oval Office? If that starts to blink, look on the refrigerator. There's an instruction marked "Strategic Bomber Component of Nuclear Triad." It's tacked up there with a little banana magnet!

[ cut back to Ron, Jr. ]

Ron Reagan: Okay, Mom. I-I got it. You guys don't worry about anything, just.. just have fun, you two, okay?

[ cut back to Ronald and Nancy ]

Nancy Reagan: We will, son.

President Ronald Reagan: Goodbye, son, be good!

Nancy Reagan: [ enthusiastically ] Bye, honey!

[ they hang up the phone ]

President Ronald Reagan: Well, I feel better already!

Nancy Reagan: See? I don't know why you don't trust him?

[ dissolve to exterior, White House - night ]

[ Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock And Roll" pots up ]

[ cut to interior doorway, Oval Office ]

[ Ron, Jr. slides into frame dressed as Tom Cruise in "Risky Business." He lip-syncs into a trophy, dances over to the fireplace and shows off his moves while crouched in front of the audience, his ass cheeks wiggling. ]

[ Ron throws down the statue, grabs a broom, and jumps on top of the President's desk and shimmies while playing air guitar, then jumps off the desk and does a split on the carpet ]

[ Ron jumps backfirst onto the couch and wiggles his legs high into the air, then flips onto his stomach and shakes his body loose before jumping up and dancing through the room again ]

[ exterior shot of the White House reveals a tiny silhoette bouncing in the upper window ]

[ Ron raises his collar, flips off his sunglasses and turns to face the camera ]

Ron Reagan: "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"










From 5/7/1992 ( the first launch of the US space shuttle Endeavour orbiter vehicle mission STS-49 includes me Kerry Wayne Burgess the United States Marine Corps officer and United States STS-49 pilot astronaut ) To 8/13/2012 is 7403 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 2/8/1986 ( premiere US TV series episode "Saturday Night Live"::"Ron Reagan" ) is 7403 days



From 3/15/1962 ( John Kennedy - Special Message to the Congress on Protecting the Consumer Interest ) To 8/13/2012 is 18414 days

18414 = 9207 + 9207

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 1/17/1991 ( the date of record of my United States Navy Medal of Honor as Kerry Wayne Burgess chief warrant officer United States Marine Corps circa 1991 also known as Matthew Kline for official duty and also known as Wayne Newman for official duty ) is 9207 days



From 3/15/1962 ( John Kennedy - Special Message to the Congress on Protecting the Consumer Interest ) To 8/13/2012 is 18414 days

18414 = 9207 + 9207

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 1/17/1991 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - the Persian Gulf War begins as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 9207 days





http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=101718

The American Presidency Project

Barack Obama

XLIV President of the United States: 2009 - present

638 - Remarks to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Curiosity Rover Team

August 13, 2012

The President. Hello, everybody.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Charles Elachi. Good morning, Mr. President.

The President. Who am I speaking with?

Dr. Elachi. This is Charles Elachi, the director of JPL. And we have a room full of the mission operation personnel. This is Curiosity mission operation on Mars.

The President. Well, it is great to talk to all of you. And I just want you to know that we could not be more excited about what you've been doing.

Somebody asked me the other day whether you've already found Martians. [Laughter] I told them we have to give you a little bit of time. But we know you're all hard at work and you're getting some well-deserved rest after a successful landing. And I just wanted to call and say congratulations to the entire Mars Science Laboratory team, and really all of JPL, on last Monday's incredible success.

Through your dedicated efforts, Curiosity stuck her landing and captured the attention and imagination of millions of people not just across our country, but people all around the world, including Times Square. And what you did on Mars was incredibly impressive. Those 76 pyrotechnics going off in perfect succession and the 500,000 lines of code working exactly the way you guys had ordered them, so it's really mind-boggling what you've been able to accomplish. And being able to get that whole landing sequence to work the way you did is a testimony to your team.

I especially want to congratulate Charles Elachi, the head of JPL; the entry descent and landing lead, Adam Steltzner, who helped devise the final step of this amazing descent, the Sky Crane System. What you've accomplished embodies the American spirit, and your passion and your commitment is making a difference. And your hard work is now paying dividends, because our expectation is that Curiosity is going to be telling us things that we did not know before and laying the groundwork for an even more audacious undertaking in the future, and that's a human mission to the Red Planet.

I understand there's a special Mohawk guy that's working on the mission. [Laughter] He's been one of the many stars of the show last Sunday night. And I, in the past, thought about getting a Mohawk myself—[laughter]—but my team keeps on discouraging me. And now that he's received marriage proposals and thousands of new Twitter followers, I think that I'm going to go back to my team and see if it makes sense. [Laughter]

Dr. Elachi. That's going to be the new fashion at JPL. [Laughter]

The President. It does sound like NASA has come a long way from the white shirt, black dark-rimmed glasses, and the pocket protectors. [Laughter] You guys are a little cooler than you used to be. [Laughter]

As all of you know, my administration has put a big focus on improving science and technology, engineering and math education. And this is the kind of thing that inspires kids across the country. They're telling their moms and dads they want to be part of a Mars mission, maybe even the first person to walk on Mars. And that kind of inspiration is the byproduct of work of the sort that you guys have done.

So not only do I want to congratulate the team, I want to call out a few of the leaders of the group, including Adam, but also Peter Theisinger, Richard Cook, John Grotzinger, John Grunsfeld. And I'd like to congratulate and thank all of our international partners—Spain, Russia, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Japan, Australia—all of them contributed, I know, to the instrumentation Curiosity landed on Martian surface—and all the scientists who are part of the JPL team.

So you guys have done an outstanding job. You made us all proud. You've made NASA proud. You guys are examples of American know how and ingenuity, and it's really an amazing accomplishment. So we can't wait to start hearing back from Curiosity and finding out what's going on. We're fortunate to be part of a society that can reach beyond our planet and explore frontiers that were only imagined by our ancestors. So it's inspiring to all of us.

I'm going to give you guys a personal commitment to protect these critical investments in science and technology. I thank you for devoting your lives to this cause. And if, in fact, you do make contact with Martians, please let me know right away. [Laughter] I've got a lot of other things on my plate, but I suspect that that will go to the top of the list. [Laughter] Even if they're just microbes, it will be pretty exciting. [Laughter]

Dr. Elachi. Well, thank you, Mr. President. And on behalf of all us at NASA, we thank you for taking the time to give us a call. And hopefully, we inspired some of the millions of young people who were watching this landing. Thank you again.

The President. Well, you've already inspired us, but I know that the photographs that are going to start coming back are going to be remarkable and amazing. And again, you guys should be remarkably proud. Really what makes us best as a species is this curiosity that we have and this yearning to discover and know more and push the boundaries of knowledge. And you are perfect examples of that, and we couldn't be more grateful to you.

So congratulations. Keep up the great work.

Dr. Elachi. Thank you very much. And have a good day.

The President. Okay. Bye-bye, guys.

NOTE: The President spoke at 10 a.m. aboard Air Force One via telephone to the Mars Science Laboratory team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.



- posted by H.V.O.M - Kerry Wayne Burgess 10:08 AM Pacific Time Spokane Valley Washington USA Wednesday 21 October 2015