Obama warns of new "Sputnik moment," stresses need to invest in technology, education
The Washington Post
December 7, 2010
President Obama warned of another "Sputnik moment" in the United States in a speech here, saying the country must invest in innovation and technology as it did in the 1950's and 60's to match the Soviet Union, which launched Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the earth
"We need a commitment to innovation we haven't seen since President Kennedy challenged us to go to the moon," Obama said at Forsyth Technical Community College.
He urged members of both parties to "focus on what is necessary to win the future."
Obama did not detail any new policy ideas to implement this goal, but emphasized he would spend the next several months looking for new ideas to increase innovation. And he said policies his administration has already implemented, such an education program called "Race to the Top" that rewards states for creative methods of improving student achievement, are already setting the groundwork for American advances in science and technology.