Obama Goes on 'Mythbusters' to Push Science - NYTimes.com

During a visit to the office of President Obama’s science adviser last spring, still in the early days of the administration, I was struck by how many photos were already on the wall showing the president peering through a telescope, examining solar panels or honoring scientists and engineers. [In examining those solar panels, what did Obama learn? What, specifically, was he looking for? Does he spend a lot of time examining solar panels when no cameras are around?]
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Republicans have led the charge for stasis (can you recall the last time a Republican lawmaker or presidential candidate laid out a serious plan for sparking an American revival through science and technology)?