It was more like attending a Tea-Party Rally than anything else when describing  the Newt Gingrich “Town Hall” held yesterday in Cocoa.  Even after arriving over an hour early, the best available seats (only a few still open) were way in the back, just before the plethora of cameras scheduled to catch the event.  Behind the cameras and their operators, later arrivals had to stand and peer through the wiring  and camera-guys rears.

 The Gingrich speech was short (somewhere in the neighbrhood of twenty-five minutes) and to the point.  He brought his huge audience to its feet several times.  Signs, pins, and bumper stickers were sold, given away, and displayed everywhere.  One sign said “Give a Hoot and Vote for Newt.”  A Daddy in the back hoisted his two year old son on his shoulders and had the lad hold up a Newt sign.  Perhaps the cutest support came from a critter (not human…dog)

Former Attorney General Bill McCollum introduced Newt and pointed out they had served together in the House and during that time his respect for Gingrich increased almost daily.  My camera was on zoom, but even with that, we were so far back this was the best we could do.

In his address, Gingrich stuck to just one subject…Space.  At first I was puzzled by this but in thinking about it, the wisdom was clear.  This is a topic that is dear to the heart of all Space Coast residents.  They have either lost a job at NASA or know or someone who has.  As Newt got started, it was obvious that Obama would not be welcome in this Convention Center.  All were well aware of Obama essentially shutting NASA down and assigning a new mission of making Muslims feel better about themselves. 

Newt promised to do Grandiose things as President of the United States.  He promised by the end of his second term America will have a COLONY on the moon.  He states it will not be cohabited by China or Russia.  He also painted a picture of all forms of space exploration, near and far, NASA and civilian.  He sees Cape Canaveral as being a genuine space-port with daily flights, much like today’s airports.

While it may have sounded a bit like tongue-in-cheek, he was dead serious.  He suggested America should provide a series of bonuses and awards for those civilians who accomplished specific missions, all of which were designed to ultimately take us to Mars.  The Awards would be in the billions.  If the independent scientists, astronauts, and engineers were successful, it would be at a much smaller price than having to pay NASA all those MULTI-billions.  If they were not successful…money not spent.

                                                                  On the Moon

If it is “red meat” that America wants, Gingrich is more than willing to provide it.  This  desire to take it to Obama, I suspect, is a driving force that has propelled Gingrich to where he is in the Polls today.  As we left the Convention Center, we walked by the Gingrich bus.  Impressive indeed.

Tomorrow Mitt Romney is scheduled to visit the Space Coast.  He will be speaking in Titusville.  The style contrast between these two is dramatic.  I would only hope and pray that both understand and keep their eye on the GOAL…send Obama back to Chicago and “retire” his minions.