Astronauts Push Obama; One Demurs

Former Apollo 9 astronaut and international plantary defense advocate Russell "Rusty" Schweickart has endorsed the Democratic presidential campaign Barack Obama by launching a door-to-door effort in the swing state of Florida this weekend.

"This is the best thing since JFK," Schweickart said. "He put me in, Obama is taking us back."

Schweickart, who was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997, was the Lunar Module pilot on the first NASA mission to test the moon landing vehicle in space; and, he is the founder and past president of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE).

Schweickart is among several astronauts to have endorsed the presidential bid of Barack Obama among them Dr. Sally Ride, Dr. Kathy Thornton, Dr. Don Barry, John Glenn and Bill Nelson. [Audio]

Over the weekend however, Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham toured cities around Florida to help promote Republican hopeful Sen. John McCain’s campaign by backing the candidate and his space platform. McCain is pushing hard to close the Electoral College gap.