REPORTER: “You've had a deep faith for God and country…. What is your hope for America at a time such as this?”
SECRETARY RUBIO: "My hope for America? It's the same as it's always been. I think it's the hope we all share. We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything — where you're not limited by the circumstances of your birth, the color of your skin, or your ethnicity."
“But frankly, it's a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential. I think that should be the goal of every country in the world, frankly.
“But I think in the U.S. we're not perfect. Our history is not one of perfection, but it's still better than anybody else's history.”
"It is a unique and exceptional country. And as we come upon this 250 year anniversary, I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history. It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement, where each generation has done its part to bring us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders of this country had upon its founding."
And splashdown!
America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely.
Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy did an outstanding job. These talented astronauts inspired the world and represented their space agencies and nations as humanity’s ambassadors to the stars.
This was a test mission, the first crewed flight of SLS and Orion, pushing farther into the unforgiving environment of space than ever before, and it carried real risk. They accepted that risk for all we stood to learn and for the exciting missions that follow, as we return to the lunar surface, build a Moon base, and prepare for what comes next.
And they were not alone. The entire NASA workforce, our commercial and international partners, and the hopes and dreams of people all over the world were with them. The astronauts know it, and you should too. This mission would not have been possible without you.
Congratulations. Artemis II, mission accomplished.
Welcome home Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! 🫶
The Artemis II astronauts have splashed down at 8:07pm ET (0007 UTC April 11), bringing their historic 10-day mission around the Moon to an end.
After nearly a decade in business, today marks a new milestone for Firehouse as we take authentic persuasion to the next level by joining forces with @precisionstrat to create an unparalleled, bipartisan public affairs firm.
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