Posted: Thu, Mar 15, 2001, 2:23 PM ET (1923 GMT)
Former Congressman Robert Walker said Thursday he has no interest in becoming NASA administrator. Speaking at a commercial space conference at the Cato Institute in Washington, the former chairman of the House Science Committee played down reports that he was among the top candidates to succeed Dan Goldin as head of the space agency. "I spent 30 years in government," he said, "and I have no interest in going back full-time again." Walker's name had been widely circulated as a top choice to take over NASA, and NASA Watch recently reported that the Bush Administration had, in fact, offered the post to Walker, who turned them down. Walker did say that he hopes to be helpful to President Bush on space policy, just not in a full-time role. When asked why the President was apparently having problems finding a replacement for Goldin, he said he was not certain the administration had even reached the point in its selection process where it was making offers to individuals.

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