President's address to the nation on the Columbia shuttle disaster

(2 Feb 2003)
1. SOUNDBITE: (English) George W.Bush, US President
"My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At nine o'clock this morning, mission control in Houston, lost contact with space shuttle Columbia. A short time later debris was seen falling from the skies above Texas. The Columbia is lost. There are no survivors. On board was a crew of seven, Colonel Rick Husband, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anderson, Commander Laurel Clark, Captain David Brown, Commander William McCool, Dr Kalpana Chawla and Ilan Ramon, a colonel in the Israeli air force. These men and women assumed great risk in the service to all humanity in an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easy to overlook the dangers of travel by rocket and the difficulties of navigating the fierce outer atmosphere of the earth. These astronauts knew the dangers and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more. All Americans today are thinking as well of the families of these men and women who have been given this sudden shock and grief. You are not alone, our entire nation grieves with you and those you loved will always have the respect and gratitude of this country. The cause of which they died will continue. Mankind was led into the darkness beyond our world with the inspiration of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on. In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy, yet further than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah 'Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength not one of them is missing'. The same creator who named the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to earth, yet we can pray that all are safely home. May God bless the grieving families and may God continue to bless America."
STORYLINE:
President George W. Bush sadly informed the American people on Saturday of the worst space tragedy in 17 years, saying "The Columbia's lost. There are no survivors."
Bush said the loss of the space shuttle and its seven astronauts "brought terrible news and great sadness to our country."
Addressing the nation from the Cabinet Room, Bush said, "The Columbia is lost."
Before his remarks, he telephoned the families of the astronauts to console them.
"These men and women assumed great risk in the service to all humanity," the president said. The astronauts knew the dangers and they faced them willingly," he said in brief remarks after returning to the White House from a weekend at Camp David, Maryland.
Flanked by two flags, Bush spoke slowly, his voice falling almost to a whisper at some points, his brows furrowed and his mouth downturned.
Earlier, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, announcing the shuttle's demise, said he had spoken with Bush and the president had offered his "full and immediate support" to determine what had gone wrong and what to do next.
O'Keefe spoke at a news conference in Cape Canaveral, Florence.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge coordinated the government response.
Under an executive order signed recently by Bush, Ridge is the coordinator of all domestic incidents of this magnitude, even when terrorism is not suspected.
He said, "Obviously the investigation is just beginning, but that is the information we have now."
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...

[@HanoiViaBangkok]

I was almost six years old when the Columbia disaster happened. I was at my home in East Texas and remember hearing a very loud boom that rattled our whole house, and later we found out it was the space shuttle. I'll always remember that and my neighbors finding debris in their yards in the aftermath. Very sad event.

[@mickfunny4185]

Jeff Martin did your neighbor keep the debris🤔

[@this_is_nick]

That loud boom was the sonic boom the shuttle makes when re-entering the atmosphere, not the shuttle blowing up.

[@lulu5803]

George Bush had his issues, but this speech has always stood out as one of the best, most touching and comforting presidential speeches in my lifetime. The only reason I can guess why it stands out to me is he meant what he said. He was grieving with us. His words were sincere.

[@JackIsNotInTheBox]

His 9/11 speech was on-point too.

[@chrisking6695]

He didn’t feel a thing when he read the teleprompter.

[@ltv..123]

Thank you. It's unfortunate that more people don't think of the good..............

[@NutsAboutHarry]

@@chrisking6695 you were inside his head were you? Moron😒

[@georgegerswin6297]

@@chrisking6695 exactly..he is soulless

[@georgearthur205]

"The same Creator who names the stars, also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the Shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth, yet we can pray that all are safely home" "We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth, to touch the face of God" Two iconic and beautiful speeches, about two unforgettable tragedies. RIP Challenger, Columbia and your brave crews. xx

[@davidjack7418]

Great respect to whoever penned the words for either speech, and surely words no President would ever want to deliver.

[@subhamdaslovesraptor99]

@@davidjack7418 Not all Presidents need a teleprompter, bro! It's high time that you grow up.

[@gamehengeful]

I went to a Jimmy Buffett concert the night this happened. About an hour before the show he came out on stage and said that if it had happened earlier in the day he probably would have cancelled the concert then he said a few words in memory of the crew, thought it was a very classy thing to do.

[@CaptainAhab117]

I was very young when he was president, but I think this is my favorite of his presidential addresses.

[@Steve-qf8he]

A president who had a lot of weighty issues during his tenure. He stepped up to the plate,did his best.

[@davidjack7418]

For all the Bushisms and jokes I can't imagine enduring what he did as President. It came with the job, but Columbia disaster, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, The Great Recession...that would weigh heavily on anyone.

[@james9872]

God bless George W. Bush! :)

[@lourdesrodriguez412]

Today is the 20th anniversary of the columbia explosion and we will miss those people who were there

[@manofsan]

Very moving words, spoken by someone who was clearly moved.

[@singerg02]

I was 10 years old when this tragedy occurred. I still remember that day vividly. It was a quiet Saturday morning just like any other, except for the breaking news reports blaring across pretty much every TV channel. My family was heartbroken for these lost souls and their families. My older sister and I cried. We have never forgotten them. 💔🕯

[@DavePryor302]

I was 11

[@marioluigifun]

This reminds me of the Challenger Address from President Reagan

[@Maizerus]

Bush's words were dignified, but Reagan's words about the Challenger topples Bush's easily.

[@sterlingsimms7113]

Yeah that's the point.

[@davidcrystal8886]

Watch the Reagan one first, then this. It's apparent Bush was not original with this speech. Not cool.

[@englishguy2010]

Reagan's speech was warm and heartfelt.

[@Bear-form]

@@davidcrystal8886 I watched the Reagan one first. Reagan was better by far. I agree with Halifax.

[@quag1481]

he was trying to hold back tears it must’ve been hard for everyone that day hearing about this terrible catastrophe

[@filipinordabest]

May Gaa- May God bless America. You can see Bush tear up there.

[@ghassanjenainaty4212]

I dont think he ever had tears for those killed in Iraq war

[@RainMan221]

@@ghassanjenainaty4212 right said

[@derhund6126]

Ghassan jenainaty but he cared about Americans kinda like trump

[@CoaxDog]

Bush was true gentleman, I miss when we had a president who spoke eloquently and with reverence.

[@sterlingsimms7113]

He called the internet INTERNETS He couldn't pronounce Nuclear He couldn't understand that misunderestimate isn't a word He didn't know what an OBGYN was He could barely speak English what are you talking about eloquent.

[@backinthecrystal]

And you're missing a period in all but one sentence.

[@James-cb7nb]

Lul a president who spoke eloquently. Goes to show you have no fucking idea what you are talking about

[@hurtlocker1040]

LOL 😂

[@areminiscer5088]

@@sterlingsimms7113 okay

[@joelbibleman9648]

Very well said. At the end looked a bit chocking up.

[@1f5sda]

I do not blame Bush for welling up when he gave that speech.

[@molecularsamm7899]

Seems like only yesterday when all the news was suddenly interrupted by the sight of Columbia breaking up in the skies. Awful, terrible day. Never forgotten RIP

[@TPM75108]

Even if you didn't like Bush this was probably his best speech ever.

[@Shah-of-the-Shinebox]

His 9/11 speeches he made were pretty great. Really brought the nation together.

[@pukalo]

Below-average President but a genuinely good human being.

[@RainMan221]

He and his daddy are both devils, the only respect his daddy has is just because of he being a ww2 veteran.

[@OurFantasyLife]

Sure, a “genuinely good” human being that casually committed war crimes and dragged us into a war under a massive false premise to enrich his cronies. Jesus, if someone can read a teleprompter in this country they get a free pass on just about anything.

[@Bankable2790]

Maygauh, I mean, “May God”, there got it

[@pound4pound380]

@Ded0099 I agree. They all knew. All presidents are apartment of free masons.

[@AmerkFlack]

@@RainMan221 fuck you You from America?

[@sce2aux464]

"yet we can pray that all are safely Home."

[@ianalexander2017]

SCE2AUX he meant heaven

[@Pixx08]

He was referring to heaven, asshat.

[@matthewtheobald1231]

I never thought I'd say this but, we need a president like Bush again

[@willevents5305]

Indeed we do

[@rdaws73]

Oh, we need more endless wars?

[@Oscar22185]

Ryan 😂

[@aceistheface2950]

A douche bag Enron puppet. How obtuse are you?

[@user-li4zo5gf1o]

@@aceistheface2950 as opposed to a douche bag CCP democrat puppet, how obtuse are you?

[@user-gz2it1te5r]

I'm a Democrat and while I was disappointed that he won, I never expressed anger and fury over him winning, like I did over the 2016 election, because #43 never acted like a cult leader.

[@stephennicholas5646]

I was almost 11 when this happened , I member seeing this address on TV when I got home from school

[@tomtagliente1464]

17 years before you, I watched President Reagan deliver his eloquent and tear-evoking announcement from the Oval Office. Look it up. The whole speech was uploaded by his library. His also is a beautifully delivered speech.

[@nateboy1489]

If I recall correctly, this happened on a Saturday. Were you in school on a Saturday?

[@areminiscer5088]

nateboy1489 you don’t “recall” shit you googled it lmao and yes some kids go to school on saturdays.

[@nopcshere6097]

As dignified as this presidential address was, it doesn't compare to the late Ronald Reagan's Challenger accident address.

[@TheIkaraCult]

its not a competition

[@ewan.cartwright]

@@TheIkaraCult The Shuttle was such a dangerous vehicle, if it kept flying we could have made it a competition

[@ariffadam8540]

True

[@donactdum6635]

I hate the things this guy has done, but he can really fucking deliver a meaningful speech.

[@ethantaube2512]

This was 20 years ago today

[@Monrovia1]

20 years ago today.

[@brendansmith7842]

Terrible day- I got up early that weekend to watch as it was supposed to land. I was born a month before challenger-but remembered it. Then I saw what was happening and realized a similar event was happening again, unequivocally.

[@jhomrich89]

I miss having him as president

[@marioluigifun]

No dumb person could become president. Bush may seem dim-witted, but he has made many smart decisions. Granted, he has made some mistakes, I mean, look at Katrina.

[@Tracomaster]

ever heard of trump? :P

[@jamesleranearthistrollingi6010]

+Tracomaster ever heard of Hillary?

[@Tracomaster]

James Leran Earth is trolling its people oh the thing is that hillary isn't dumb. you might not like her, she might not be an angel, but she is not dumb

[@nicoleroux2613]

hate to break it to you but trump is not dumb either

[@andrewcutler1380]

Why is the Challenger explosion so well remembered, and the Columbia explosion seems like a historical footnote now? It's weird. I had almost forgotten this had happened.

[@Yobbie72]

I was just thinking that! Maybe because the Shuttle was so new in the 80s, and had really captured the imagination of the people...maybe because there was a school teacher, and all the kids were watching....maybe because Ronald Reagan gave such a masterful and memorable speech, compared to this.

[@andrewcutler1380]

@@Yobbie72 Those are all good points. I think it might also have been overshadowed by 9/11, which had occurred only a bit more than a year previously and the impending Iraq war, which was about to start.

[@pittadrum8]

Yes agree totally different yet the same one on liftoff one on reentry both equally tragic

[@matthewshaw1850]

I think because the Challenger flight was supposed to be special since it had Christa McAuliffe onboard. As such, more people paid attention to it and students across the country watched the disaster unfold live on tv. The Columbia disaster did not occur live on tv and the flight was supposed to be “routine”

[@nizloc4118]

9/11....

[@doublecell966]

Looking back I respect the hell out of GWB. When you think and all the tragedy he had to deal with as President while staying composed is nothing short of amazing.

[@Brad02526]

I was just a baby before his 2nd term started. I may not like him, but I am happy that I was born during his Presidency.

[@mattkramer4132]

You might not have liked Bush's politics, but he seems like a guy who'd be fun to hang out and BS with.

[@VinceHere98]

I was 4 and a half years old when the Columbia was destroyed....

[@KhanLikeNo0ther]

GOD BLESS AMERICA Thank you so much Dear President Rest In Peace All Departed

[@Tobberz]

5 years ago I would not have looked at Bush and thought 'He was a good man', but my opinions seem to have changed.

[@jeezelaweeze1483]

Exactly.

[@scapingby]

because standards have been lowered

[@spac18]

​@@scapingby nah, Bush didn't really start the Iraq war, it was Dick Cheney.

[@baahcusegamer4530]

20 years ago today, in this hour. And neither Fox nor CNN mention it on their websites (I just checked). The rest of us who lived through the terrible news can never forget.

[@sannysaini790]

Miss you Dr. Kalpana chawla Mam

[@Joel-yl2uc]

I miss both that president and that shuttle. Progress has a price :(

[@SuperSooner]

He is a Gentleman.

[@justsaiyansteve]

You know its 2020, Bush reminded me of a time before.

[@maxjulmiste5558]

I am so sorry for your loss

[@princesiegfried3728]

Obama was eloquent, but Bush was a better orator. Watch his eulogy of his father’s death. We all know presidents have speechwriters, but that eulogy for his father was all him. I think he may have told his speechwriters here that he wanted to do this one alone because of how tragic and real it was. Bush was such a great speaker. Obama’s “ums” we’re not a sign of a bad speaker, but he just didn’t have the way of Bush. Obama was strong and classy, but Bush kept it simple with the likeable Southern accent and soothing voice.

[@nathanaelwassmann3794]

These astronauts gave their lives for their country just as much as all the military casualties of war did.

[@MihadAlzayat]

Miss you pres

[@ronaldarias8870]

wow after Trump im almost forgetting how a president speaks!!!!

[@MegaSwiming]

I was 11 when this happened I remember this was the first thing on the news when I got up that Saturday morning

[@CC3GROUNDZERO]

That feel when Trump manages to make Dubya look presidential and dignified by comparison.

[@donald_the_savage1234]

l being presidential isn’t the most important part of being president though. Bush was fairly presidential, he was just dumb.

[@ericleshinskie7233]

Thank you President Bush.

[@owfn7873]

2:24

[@andrewsboy9776]

Notice how they speak from the bible

[@joebarksdale6437]

While Obama only spoke from the Quran

[@dwightk.schrute6743]

@@joebarksdale6437 Oh, you blind fool.

[@edgyliveleak]

He's speaking poetically

[@areminiscer5088]

@@joebarksdale6437 why would it matter

[@zriter59escritor33]

Just imagine Trump trying to give a speech like this. And W wasn't a great speaker.

[@woodykelleher9253]

He makes it sound so serious.

[@av_cali4958]

Because it was . Have some empathy

[@tomtagliente1464]

Ronald Reagan's address from the Oval Office on January 28th, 1986, when CHALLENGER fell out of the sky, was much more poignant and touching than Bush's speech here. Whereas Bush sounded robotic, Reagan sounded real. I was not an admirer of Ronald Reagan, but his CHALLENGER address from the White House that day still stands as one of the greatest speeches in presidential history, only to deliver a second, even more moving speech at their memorial three days later. God bless the heroes of CHALLENGER and COLUMBIA, and their families.

[@citisoccer]

So I'm not old enough to know, but did people back then also come up with moronic notions like the Israeli astronaut sabotaged the shuttle? I'm honestly starting to think the internet was actually a bad idea.

[@SPZ909]

Yes there were plenty of conspiracies on forums

[@danielekslin3155]

the dissaster occured in in 1 februrar 2003, and in israel it was Parashat "Mishpatim" The Holy Zohar of parashat Mishpatim explain the verse isia the presedint said in 2:26

[@GPLDUNORD]

No survivors

[@kalel311superman9]

some people remember challenger i remember columbia

[@aafris]

Bush was a terrible president but he's a good man. We could use more of that these days.

[@timbrown3752]

George W. Bush is the only Republican president i ever voted for

[@frednicolas3811]

Compare with Reagan 1986 challenger disaster speech...

[@richardmiller5818]

2 days before i turned 13

[@1f5sda]

I was celebrating my 12th birthday on that day. Despite the event being sad, I had a happy birthday!

[@ericdreizen1463]

NASA discontinued the shuttle program after that. With good reason. They wanted to "iron out" a few bugs. And much of the space travel that had heretofore been government-controlled was soon to be taken over by private industry.. Dubya sure had a lot on his plate during his time in office: both 9/11 & THIS!

[@davidjack7418]

Not quite as there were another 22 missions for the next 8 years. There was no illusion that the Space Shuttle program was no longer viable, and it wasn't because of the loss of life. The Space Shuttle did result in the most lost astronauts, but it was also the program with by far the most launches, most times a vehicle was reused, most time in space, and most astronauts sent into space in a single vehicle. The odds and risks were always much higher. That said, I'm glad to see the emergence of commercial spaceflight creating some new steam for space travel, and I'm glad that NASA has become less afraid to embrace it. The capsules have a much better track record.

[@ericdreizen1463]

@@davidjack7418 And apparently provide for an escape mechanism (Space-Ex) in situations where escape MAY be feasible. An improvement at least, apparently overlooked by our marvelous federal govt but not by Mr Musk.

[@davidjack7418]

​@@ericdreizen1463 Far from it, actually. Even Alan Shepard's Mercury Redstone 3 in 1961 had a launch abort system (LES) on its capsule that is the basis for what SpaceX uses for Crew Dragon today. An instant-abort that would launch away the capsule in the event of a major problem. For as long as NASA used capsules/stacks there was an LES system like this. The Space Shuttle originally had 4 abort systems prior to Challenger, but the problem was that none of them were able to be used during the first ~300 seconds of ascent. At the time it was thought that since there were many abort systems that could be activated on the launchpad to stop ascent at all that those, coupled with the many later abort options, would cover most of the major concerns. It was also useful that the vehicle itself was capable of flight in case it needed to glide down itself. After Challenger new aborts were added to cover as much of the ascent as possible. In Columbia's case it had been known the tiling for heat on the shuttle could be a problem. Unfortunately, like Challenger, too few people spoke up when major concerns were raised. Though it's unlikely that _any_ abort system could have saved a vehicle during reentry that was disintegrating due to heat. So again, I'm a big SpaceX fan, but even the Crew Dragon's abort system is heavily based on early NASA capsule aborts. Credit should be given where credit is due.

[@stephennicholas5646]

I think he was better then Obama

[@fordodion7499]

Stephen Nicholas me too

[@LoyalmoonieProductions]

Any president - including Trump - is better than Obummer.

[@zeekman7223]

Lol

[@brandonchristiansen5815]

Almost exactly the same speech just like Reagan!

[@MarthaLopez-rj2bf]

♥️🤍💙

[@bobbygoff8766]

Hoax!

[@ashishpatil1651]

all hell broke loose during his tenure

[@evelynwills3641]

He was a better president!

[@cabel426m.c7]

Yeah if you ignore the bombing

[@Palestinekigandmaintopkibaaris]

That's kalpana chawla and not dr Kolb Mushaf .

[@aiosquadron]

They lived long and prosper. RIP. Press F to pay respect.

[@aiosquadron]

*F*

[@kabraham394]

@@aiosquadron F

[@michaelkovacic2608]

F

[@mackenziekram2672]

F

[@Mandeepsingh-rs2yi]

bc amrica

[@larry1824]

I was reading a children's book when it happened

[@33rdgrandinspectorgeneral18]

Blah blah blah blah blah

[@TheIkaraCult]

Imagine the mutant in the White House today addressing the world in the wake of a tragedy like this.

[@rajkrishnamisra8593]

reagan's challenger speech>bush's columbia speech

[@ChangingTides777]

Blah

[@Yobbie72]

More a statement than an address to the nation; an address to the nation should be delivered from the Oval Office. We can see how amazing Ronald Reagan's Challenger speech was, when we watch this forgettable Bush version.

[@devilshoez1098]

Reagan did it better.

[@brandonwainscott7491]

@Mushroom Classic I know he actually was, but to make a joke in a sad situation like in a eulogy: is that not what all politicians are?

[@zeekman7223]

Rip off of Reagan’s speech

[@Gozne]

Im sure they are alive and kicking

[@aceistheface2950]

I’m conservative, but this is a bozo of epic proportions.