McNutt's answer about nuclear power? Jeez!

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

I haven't seen this one mentioned. He mumbled something kind of incoherant about Obama being for nuclear power, but not without (and with a sneer and withering disdain) worrying about safe disposal, of, um.......(voice trails off) and then unbelieveably mumbling about nuclear power being perfectly safe, why I was in a nuclear submarine, mumble mumbler mumble.

WHAT?

Come ON! WHAT? Disposal of spent nuclear material isn't something to think about at all? WHAT?

If we are going to go towards more nuclear plants, I want somebody who is thinking about the full picture. Not just build 'em and worry about that shit later.

That was imbecilic.

[Celebrandil]

1. I reacted to that too...

but never understand what he wanted to say regarding Obama's position. That submarine thing was just pure nonsense, but maybe someone bought it. If you have a problem on a submarine, just sink it. It's all water around you. It might not be the most environmentally friendly thing to do, but nuclear power on submarines is far safer that nuclear power in Harrisburg.

[shadowknows69]

2. But he served on nuclear vessels

Is that even true? I didn't think a majority of our fleet was nuclear at the time of the Vietnam War, I could be wrong, but what an assinine thing to say. "Yep I didn't get fried on a ship with New Clear stuff in it, so why should we worry about waste from power plants?"

The mind boggles. I think maybe you did stand a little too close to the main reactor Johnny boy.

[dbmk]

3. Probably true

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_marine_propulsion

"The first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), put to sea in 1955."

"Nautilus led to the parallel development of further Skate-class submarines, powered by single reactors, and a cruiser, Long Beach, in 1961, powered by two reactors. The aircraft carrier Enterprise, commissioned in 1962, was powered by eight reactor units in 1960. Enterprise remains in service.

By 1962 the United States Navy had 26 nuclear submarines operational and 30 under construction."

[shadowknows69]

6. He was a pilot though

Why would he serve on a sub?


Edit to add: Carrier/Enterprise. Yeah could have been. Stupid answer anyway.

[JHB]

7. McBain's Nuclear Navy Experience

According to his Wikipedia page:
"Onboard for Enterprise's maiden voyage in January 1962, McCain gained visibility with the captain and shipboard publicity that fellow sailors and aviators attributed to his famous last name. McCain was made a lieutenant in June 1962, and was on alert duty on Enterprise when it helped enforce the naval quarantine of Cuba during the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. In November 1963, he was rotated back to shore duty, serving nine months on the staff of the Naval Air Basic Training Command at Pensacola."

Barring Wikipedia incompleteness about the dates, his experience with nuclear power amounts to not quite two years serving in the air wing (not engineering staff) of a nuclear-powered carrier.

Maybe someone should point out that the radioactive waste from Enterprise's reactor from the time he served on it 35 years ago is today still sitting around in a "temporary" waste storage facility, still hazardous all these years later.

[XemaSab]

4. Oh yeah....

That was a MASSIVE WTF too. :banghead:

[Higher Standard]

5. He didn't die on a nuclear sub, so nuclear power must be safe.

Tell that to the folks at Chernobyl.