Obama: Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: The White House

Statement by the President on the Passing of Neil Armstrong

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Neil Armstrong.

Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time. When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable - that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible. And when Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time, he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.

Today, Neil's spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown - including those who are ensuring that we reach higher and go further in space. That legacy will endure - sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step.

Read more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/25/statement-president-passing-neil-armstrong

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[Cooley Hurd]

1. Poignant.

[Faygo Kid]

2. It wasn't just American spirit. It was the planet's.

Well said, Mr. President, but can we use this as inspiration to tackle our greatest problem, climate change?

[Archae]

3. Armstrong really had "The Right Stuff."

[Dorn]

4. Worked for the Government, educated by public school teachers, flew union built spacecraft

What a truly great person

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

5. and he never cashed in on it

No bajillion dollar book and movie deals, no overpriced signed merchandise, no product endorsements.
Just a quiet, humble, guy who understood the magnitude of what he was a part of, and didn't want to soil its place in history.

[WinkyDink]

7. But he went on "Dancing with the Stars"! Heh. I know how DU'ers hate Reality TV.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

8. That was Buzz Aldrin

Aldrin's a nice guy, but he's always loved publicity - and I've read that's a good deal of the reason NASA picked Armstrong to be the one to go first.

[Kolesar]

9. That tasteful midwestern humility

It's the only way to be.

[jaysunb]

6. Excellent post !

welcome to DU.

[JI7]

10. i read on Wiki that he considered himself a Deist