Obama Calls For New “Level Of Research And Development,” “Our Generation's Sputnik Moment”

Obama Calls For Investment In “Biomedical Research, Information Technology, And Especially Clean Energy Technology.” In his State of the Union address, Obama called for a “level of research and development we haven't seen since the height of the space race” and referenced the era of technological innovation spurred by the Soviet launch of the Sputnik satellite in 1957. From the State of the Union Address:

The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation. None of us can predict with certainty what the next big industry will be or where the new jobs will come from. Thirty years ago, we couldn't know that something called the Internet would lead to an economic revolution. What we can do -- what America does better than anyone else -- is spark the creativity and imagination of our people. We're the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook. In America, innovation doesn't just change our lives. It is how we make our living. (Applause.)

Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation. But because it's not always profitable for companies to invest in basic research, throughout our history, our government has provided cutting-edge scientists and inventors with the support that they need. That's what planted the seeds for the Internet. That's what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS. Just think of all the good jobs -- from manufacturing to retail -- that have come from these breakthroughs.

Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik, we had no idea how we would beat them to the moon. The science wasn't even there yet. NASA didn't exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn't just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.

This is our generation's Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven't seen since the height of the Space Race. And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We'll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology -- (applause) -- an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people. [White House, 1/25/11]

Right-Wing Media Attack Obama's “Sputnik Moment” Line From SOTU

Doocy: “I Think It's Ironic He's Talking About Our Sputnik Moment” After “Absolutely Decimat[ing] The Space Program.” On the January 26 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy claimed, “I think it's ironic he's talking about our Sputnik moment, you know, that started the space race where we wanted to beat the Russians, and yet, this president has absolutely decimated the space program.” [Fox News' Fox & Friends, 1/26/11]

Doocy Again Cites Sputnik And Complains, “This President Has Actually Cut The Space Program.” Later on Fox & Friends, Doocy continued attacking the president's Sputnik line, saying:

DOOCY: Something else that the president called for was, you know, he says we need to spend more on education, and he talked about this being our Sputnik moment. Which, of course, back in the '50s was when, you know, Russia sent that Sputnik up there and let's launch the space race, this president has actually cut the space budget and then, you know, kind of following along, it's going to transfer into jobs making solar shingles? How many of those can we make? [Fox & Friends, 1/26/11]

Johnson Calls Sputnik “An Inapt Reference” Because “We Don't Have A Space Program Anymore.” Later on Fox & Friends, Fox News legal analyst Peter Johnson Jr. also attacked Obama's Sputnik reference, claiming: “A lot of people, unfortunately, don't remember what Sputnik is. But if we're going to engage in the Sputnik race, what happened to our space program? We don't have a space program anymore. So I think it was an inapt reference as to what's going on.” [Fox & Friends, 1/26/11]

MacCallum: “It Didn't Go Unnoticed That He's Defunded A Large Part Of NASA.” On the January 26 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom, co-host Martha MacCallum said: "A lot of folks have said this morning that he talked about the Sputnik moment, referring of course to the space race between Russia and the United States back in the '60s and saying this is our moment. And yet it didn't go unnoticed that he's defunded in large part NASA, and that in that Sputnik moment recognition he failed to say -- to talk about, you know, our greatest enemy out there, which is what the Sputnik moment was all about." [Fox News' America's Newsroom, 1/26/11]

Erickson: Obama “Declared Our Present Economic Climate Our Sputnik Moment Then Proceeded To Ignore NASA.” In a January 26 RedState post, Erick Erickson wrote:

President Obama declared our present economic climate our sputnik [sic] moment then proceeded to ignore NASA in his speech while defunding our space program. Nevermind that he did not identify an enemy hell bent on destroying us. He just wanted to use the metaphor without regard for its historic meaning -- something this President all too often does.

Barack Obama's bold leadership will not lead to a new race to space. Rather, in his own words, Barack Obama's “sputnik [sic] moment” is . . . wait for it . . . no seriously, wait for it . . . “solar shingles that are being sold all across the country.” [RedState, 01/26/11]

Hoft: “Sputnik Fail. After Defunding NASA, Obama Uses Soviet Space Program To Rally Americans In SOTU.” In a January 26 Gateway Pundit post, Jim Hoft wrote: “Last night President Barack Obama used the former Soviet space program to challenge Americans in his State of the Union address. ... Did you notice he didn't call it a NASA moment? He couldn't. Last year Barack Obama cut NASA funding.” [Gateway Pundit, 1/26/11 (emphasis in original)]