Let's start with if.
I was a little surprised to find what I thought to be somewhat scarce attention to the mission from Kossacks. The story seems very political to me, potentially. I am totally gobsmacked at how fiercely and effectively this mission demonstrates the validity of things incessantly mocked by the GOP: 1. science and 2. the ability of our government to perform effectively. Equally clearly, the Curiosity mission shows how it is important for the country to have government capable of doing things that cannot otherwise be done, but need doing, a concept also reprehensible to most in the GOP.
Yet, while the Curiosity Mission has not been ignored on this site, it has been only a tiny part of our daily conversations. That seems, ahem, curious to me. I see in this mission lots of potential for political gain for Democrats. The Curiosity Mission gets in the face of the GOP's science skeptics and government naysayers. NASA, a government agency, has turned in a stupendously capable and cost effective piece of work. The mission gives us, the good guys, something to soften some of the GOP's strongest arguments, traditionally, to low information voters -- that government is inefficient and too costly. That can only improve Democratic prospects up and down the ticket.
For more thinking along these lines, follow me into the tall grass.
For this to work the Curiosity Mission must become strongly imbedded in popular culture between now and the election. The more popular attention the mission draws, the easier Democratic messaging becomes and the weaker Republican messaging becomes. I think that buzz is possible, even probable. Consider this:
I mean, isn't that cooler than a lot of stuff you've Tweeted or shared on Facebook, etc? There could be potential for the Curiosity Mission to be one of the Next Big Things. It could happen just when it's most useful politically for people who respect the proper and useful role of government and believe in science, i.e. Democrats.
President Obama has already had wonderful things to say about the Curiosity Mission:
Tonight’s success, delivered by NASA, parallels our major steps forward towards a vision for a new partnership with American companies to send American astronauts into space on American spacecraft. That partnership will save taxpayer dollars while allowing NASA to do what it has always done best – push the very boundaries of human knowledge. And tonight’s success reminds us that our preeminence – not just in space, but here on Earth – depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world.
As far as I can tell, Mitt Romney hasn't had a word to say about it. I even looked through the Press Releases and News Stories and speeches on Romneys campaign website, ewww, and there is no mention of the mission or NASA or space or science or anything. Over there it's all about Obama can't be trusted not to undo welfare reform and keeps lying about poor Mitt.
Someone needs to ask Romney what he thinks about the mission. I predict with 100% certainty that his response will be totally lame. In the meantime, right after the Olympics, Americans hoarse from screaming USA USA USA, can carry on cheering for the spellbinding images and other news that will start flooding back from the mission between now and the election. A positive national response to the success of the Curiosity Mission can only help Democrats in November. Do what you can to create some buzz about the mission.