Kenneth Chang

I kinda disagree. People tend to say what they mean, esp. in full-throated criticism. A lot of people are criticizing Bridenstine's lack of scientific credentials -- that's indisputable. Doesn't mean that's the only relevant or most important criticism being made, but it's there.

All I can say is that after a year of watching and listening to criticism of Jim it was always a variant on not being a scientist and/or being a politician as being disqualifiers. Statements like "NASA has always been run by a scientist" abound.

Keith, the criticism was more questioning whether he accepted the scientific process and the results thereof, namely of climate change. That’s a fair criticism.

I guess? That's certainly what most thoughtful critics were saying. Are those the only ones that matter, though? Because most of the stuff I've seen on social media was more in the rote vein of "he's not a scientist and he's a Republican/Trump appointee, so he's terrible."

It feels really disingenuous to me to basically say that all those "he's not a scientist" criticisms shouldn't be taken at face value when it's pretty clear (to me, anyway) that said critics meant them to be taken that way.

I am going to exert some self control and not respond to this photo the way I would if it were not on twitter. But I’m glad that NASA has an admin now.

NASA will soon have a youthful administrator with a young family whose eyes are firmly set looking forward to an exciting future in space. We have not had that for a very long time.