Nightly News   |  May 25, 2011

Caught on tape: JFK had doubts about moon landing

May 25: In a newly declassified tape, President John F. Kennedy is heard expressing doubts about the expense of the space program as he prepared for his reelection campaign. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>> i believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.

>> that speech by john f. kennedy launching us to the moon was delivered before a joint session of congress 50 years ago today. he set a deadline of 1970 , and while he didn't leave to see it, we made it by the summer of '69. they released audiotapes on the meeting with nasa. the president could be heard worrying it would seem as a stunt, but they were convinced it was for the good of the nation.

>> i think it would be an asset, this program. but at the end of the day , we're glad we made it.

>> the irony is, of course, we're about to end the manned space program when the last shuttle launches this july. neil armstrong was one of the three astronauts writing today, quote, john f. kennedy would have been sorely disappointed.