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PAGE 13A
Alliances
in health
debate THE GIANT LEAP
splinter WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
As Democrats’ House
bill advances, various
interest groups rally to
help it pass or fail.
By Dan Eggen
and Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Months of rel-
ative cooperation among dis-
parate interest groups in the
heath care reform debate ap-
pear to be coming to an end, as
the major political parties and
their surrogates unleash duel-
ing TV advertisements, e-mail
campaigns and grass-roots
protests.
Friendly alliances among
medical and business groups
have begun to splinter in reac-
tion to concrete legislation
from House Democrats, which
cleared two important com-
mittee hurdles Friday.
The House bill aims to cover
97 percent of Americans by
2015, in part through a sliding
surtax on household incomes
exceeding $350,000. The pro-
posal also includes a public in-
surance option, which is
strongly opposed by Republi-
cans and major insurers and
faces difficult prospects in the
Senate.
In one sign of the changing
political climate, the Demo-
cratic National Committee last
week began running cable TV
ads targeting many of the par-
ty’s wavering senators. The
DNC, acting through its Orga-
nizing for America grass-roots
project, also has ramped up a
nationwide schedule of meet-
ings and rallies drawing on
President Obama’s 13 million-
name campaign e-mail list.
Another leading liberal
group, Health Care for Ameri-
ca Now, announced an
$800,000 ad campaign Friday
with the American Federation
of State, Federal and Municipal NASA PHOTO
Employees that is targeting Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (above) walked on the moon in July 1969 while a spellbound audience of millions watched on television. But the
centrist lawmakers in nine last of six moon landings was in 1972, and the prophesied future of moon bases and journeys to Mars, Jupiter and beyond is still science fiction.
states. The group is running a
telephone campaign that has
SEE HEALTH, 14A
comfort it
used to be His years of grueling work landed in history
Our nation has gone Charlotte retiree recalls major manufacturers that built the
from the single, solid running tests on the Eagle craft that traveled the 250,000 miles to
the lunar surface.
voice of Cronkite to a lander, the 12-hour days and “It felt like: ‘Touchdown!’ ” Eschert
free-for-all cacophony. an 80-member team’s glee. said. “It was a celebration, different
from how blasé people are about it to-
By Ted Anthony By Cameron Steele day.”
Associated Press cameronsteele@charlotteobserver.com An estimated 528 million TV view-
“And that’s the way it is,” Forty years ago Monday, Ray Eschert ers also tuned in, watching Neil Arm-
he’d say. and his anxious co-workers stood shoul- strong dodge boulders as he settled the
It wasn’t, but we wanted that der to shoulder in a factory conference Lunar Excursion Module, nicknamed
reassurance. The idea that room as they fixated on a little black- “Eagle,” on the Sea of Tranquillity on
someone could wrangle the and-white TV. July 20, 1969.
world each night and boil it As Apollo 11 touched down on the Eschert watched the first moonwalk
down to a sensible, digestible moon, the group of 80 engineers a few hours later, at 10:56 p.m., sitting
half-hour was so comforting. cheered, clapped, cried and smoked beside his wife, Elaine, in their tiny
Barely a generation has their pipes with pride, the Charlotte re- apartment living room in Long Island,
passed since Walter Cronkite tiree recalled. N.Y. YALONDA M. JAMES – yjames@charlotteobserver.com
disappeared from our eve- They had a lot at stake. They worked For almost three years, Eschert had “It was a celebration, different from how blasé people are
nings. But the notion of one for Grumman Aerospace, one of three SEE ESCHERT, 17A about it today,” says Ray Eschert of July 20, 1969.
man – a single, authoritative,
empathetic man, morally reas-
suring and mild of temper – APOLLO 11 ONLINE MORE COVERAGE
wrapping up the world after • See photos and videos from the mission. • Graphic: The Apollo 11 mission, by • Astronaut and Charlotte native
dinner for America seems in- • Take a 360-degree tour of the Sea of Tranquillity. the numbers. 16A remembers his time on the moon. 21A
calculably quaint in the tech- • Share your memories of the lunar landing. • Charlotte-area residents share their • Smoke and mirrors? A vocal minority
nological coliseum that is charlotteobserver.com/special memories of the lunar landing. 17A still insists landing was a hoax. 22A
21st-century communications.
SEE CACOPHONY, 14A
The Charlotte Observer • charlotteobserver.com THE BIG PICTURE • Sunday, July 19, 2009 17A
11:24 p.m.: A plaque affixed to “HERE MEN FROM 11:41 p.m.: Astronauts plant a 4:25 a.m.: Astronauts sleep with command module.
the leg of the landing vehicle THE PLANET EARTH 3-by-5-foot nylon U.S. flag. after finishing work and an- 5:35 p.m.: Docks with com-
is unveiled and Armstrong FIRST SET FOOT Material for the flag was wo- swering questions about mand module.
reads the inscription. The UPON THE MOON ven at a plant in Rhodhiss. moon’s geology. 7:41 p.m.: Crew jettisons land- Pacific about 812 nautical
plaque, signed by President JULY 1969 A.D. 11:48 p.m.: Astronauts receive 11:13 a.m.: Astronauts wake er and prepares for return to miles southwest of Hawaii
Nixon, Armstrong, Collins and WE CAME IN PEACE a message of congratulations and prepare for return to Earth. and only 12 nautical miles
Aldrin, bears a map of the FOR ALL MANKIND” from President Nixon. command module. JULY 24 from the recovery ship USS
Earth and this inscription: The plaque resides on the JULY 21 1:54 p.m.: Descent stage of 12:50 p.m.: The command Hornet.
moon still. 1:11 a.m.: Astronauts re-enter the lander is used as launch module splashes down in the — SOURCE: NASA, SMITHSONIAN
pad to lift off for redocking NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
landing module.
may attend at any time during the above mentioned hours. Please note:
there will be no formal presentation. 803-230-6333 704-587-3820
NCDOT proposes to close the existing at-grade NS railroad crossings
at two state roads: SR 1102 (Langtree Road) and SR 1170 (Crossrail ALL TYPES OF ROOFS POWER
Road). The Town of Mooresville proposes to close the existing at-grade VENTS
NS railroad crossings at three municipal streets: Walnut Street, Catawba PIPE CHIMNEYS
Avenue, and Norman Drive / Doster Road. These existing railroad BOOTS
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also in conjunction with construction of a new at-grade rail/highway
HVAC
PIPES ROOF
LEAK
crossing for the East-West Connector project in Mooresville.
Anyone desiring additional information regarding the East-West
REPAIRS
Connector project may contact the consultant for the Town of
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49
Transportation Planner, Town of Mooresville (704) 663-2891. Anyone
$ 95
desiring additional information regarding the NC state roads / railroad
crossing closures may contact Jahmal Pullen, NCDOT Rail Division (919)
715-8748 or the NCDOT consultant, Robert Pressley, Gannett-Fleming
Engineers (704) 375-2438.
The NCDOT and the Town of Mooresville will provide auxiliary aids and
services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons SAVE THOUSANDS COMPARED TO A NEW ROOF
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JS6365943
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so that arrangements can be made. RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL
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