But then again, what did we expect?

http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/acosta_bio.html

His position is what is called a “noncareer appointment” which is subject to change when adminstrations change. It is not a “presidential appointment” but he is a political appointee nonetheless.

Details here:

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plumbook/2004/p179-180_nara.pdf

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plumbook/2004/pv-vi.pdf

http://www.opm.gov/transition/TRANS20R-Ch4.htm

“The climate scientist, James E. Hansen, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in Manhattan, and several other National Aeronautics and Space Administration employees said Bush administration appointees at headquarters had demanded to review his lectures and publications in advance.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/31/science/31climate.html

There is no allegation (that I have seen) that it goes any higher that this one member of the Bush Administration.

I find the extrapolation a little tenuous, especially when the article really only implicates one person.

What I am saying is that Hansen needs to lay off the political policy statements in his science releases. And I don’t string together “political policy statements” accidentally here, as Hansen is politicizing a policy option. Be a scientist AND tell …

If you’ll excuse my quiet few days (traveling and without a real computer), I’ll get back to the Hansen bidness. The reason I got into this blogging business in the first place is to throw ideas out there, hear other…

Sure – the Public Relations official responsible for serving as a “gatekeeper” and who disallowed the NPR interview that Dr. Hansen referred to is a political appointee, menaing that he is appointed to his post by the Bush Aministratiopn, and is thus part of the administration.