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The Press Conference In The Right Stuff, Texte Et Commentaire Simplifié

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Par   •  7 Juillet 2012  •  1 261 Mots (6 Pages)  •  1 364 Vues

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Washington D.C, April, 1959. The astronauts’ first press conference

The seven men have been selected after evaluations. They have to attend their first press conference in Washington D.C.

NASA executive: “After a long and unprecedented series of evaluations which told our medical scientists of their superb adaptability to their upcoming flight it is my pleasure to introduce to you seven Americans… Gentlemen all… Virgil “Gus” Grissom… Leroy G. Cooper… Donald K. Slayton… John H. Glenn , Junior… Malcolm S. Carpenter… Alan B. Shepard, Junior… Walter M. Schirra, Junior! America’s Mercury astronauts!”

Wild applause.

Gus Grissom, talking to Cooper: “Holy shit!”

Gordo Cooper: “Smile, Gus! We’re heroes.”

NASA executive: “Now we’ll have some questions from the press, please.”

Journalist #1: “I’d like to know whether your wives and children had anything to say about this.”

Dike Slayton: “Mine think it’s fine.”

Light applause.

Journalist #1: “Mr Schirra?”

Wally Schirra: “They’re all for it.”

Light applause.

John Glenn: “You know, I don’t think any of us could go on with something like this if we didn’t have pretty good backing at home.”

The other men looked at each other, surprised.

John Glenn: “My wife’s attitude towards this has been the same as it’s been all along through my flying. If it’s what I want to do, she’s behind it. All, by golly, my kids are, too. 100 percent.”

What the hell was he talking about? What possible difference could a wife’s attitude make about an opportunity for a giant step up the great ziggurat? What was with this guy?

Gordo Cooper (talking to Gus Grissom): “I don’t believe this. But look at them out there! They’re eating it up.”

John Glenn: “I was brought up believing that you are placed on Earth more or less with a 50-50 proposition. And this is what I still believe. We’re placed here with certain talents and capabilities and it’s up to each one of us to use those talents as best as we can. And if we use our talents properly I think there is a power greater than us that will place the opportunities in our way.”

Applause erupted.

John Glenn: “When I think of Orville and Wilbur Wright standing on a hill at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina tossing a coin to see which one would take the first airplane flight… and then I think of us here today… I thank God I live in a country where the best and finest in a man can be brought out.”

Wild applause.

John Glenn: “I think that we are all very, very fortunate, that we have been, should we say, “blessed” with the talents for some things like this. And I think that we would be most remiss in our duty indeed if we did not volunteer for something as important as this is, for our country, and to the world in general right now… (….)”

Well… hell… maybe he was sincere, after all. God knew that for any pilot to get involved in that much Sunday school and that many church boards and good works, he’d had to be a true believer. Perhaps he even meant it about Wife & Family… which would make him an even rarer breed of pilot. If anybody asked Gus – like right now – if he were religious, a family man, and a patriot he would say yes, he was religious, and yes, he was a family man, and yes, he was a patriot. But the firmest conviction of the three was about being a patriot (…). Now, as for being a family man… ah, hell…

Journalist: “Could you tell us if any of you go to church regularly?”

Alan Shepard: “As far as church goes, I attend regularly.”

Wild applause.

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