The Next NASA Administrator?

Is there a hard-charging immensely capable administrator like the late James Webb?

While not suggesting any names for possible presidential appointment, in the past week The Orlando Sentinel wrote about key questions that a new NASA Administrator must be able to answer prior to being assigned the Obama NASA presidential appointment to what is the premier space agency in the world today.

On the other hand, Space News (subscription required) last month speculated on the names of possible NASA Administartor candidates: Charles F. Bolden, a retired Marine Corps Brig. General; Lori Garver, a former NASA associate administrator for policy and plans (and now working NASA transition); Scott Hubbard, Stanford University and leader of the re-examination of the Vision for Space Exploration leader; Wesley Huntress at the Geophysical Laboratory at the Carnegie Institute; Dr. Sally Ride, America's first female astronaut; Chris Scolese, NASA's presenth third in command; Dr. Steve Squyres at Cornell University and famous for the Mars Rovers; Dr. Alan Stern, PI on the Pluto-bound New Horizon's mission; Dr. Ed Weiler, now at NASA HQ overseeing science; and S. Pete Warden, director of NASA Ames and retired USAF general.

One anonymous political observer familar with the space agency said today that based on the kind of appointments President-elect Obama has been making to key policy positions on national security, he expects a retired military leader familiar with NASA to take the agency helm in the next few months.

Someone with the management skills and the political sophistication of the late James E. Webb is what NASA needs most now for a successful human return to the Moon; or humans on asteroid treks; or a human mission to Mars. Is he or she 'out there' with Space Age Management 2.0?