Given NASA's dismal track record of managing big projects, I see no significant support in Congress or the White House for a manned mission to Mars or to the moon. I wish it wasn't so but that's how I read the situation.

We just finished an election cycle where all 435 House seats and some 34 Senate seats were up for grabs. Show me the candidates that ran on a platform of increased space funding. You might find a handful in districts around NASA centers or major aerospace contractors but that'd be about it (if that). Politicians hire pollsters to see what the likely voters are interested in and tailor their campaigns accordingly. Few if any of them ran on space issues, so that suggests there isn't widespread support.

Oh, I know some polls have been cited that claim widespread support for space exploration but virtually all of them have been by advocacy groups, which renders their polls suspect. Show me the Gallup, Zogby, or other mainstream poll conducted on ordinary people that shows widespread support and we can talk.

Internet clicks on websites aren't a very good indication of support, just of curiosity. Much has been claimed about the number of hits on the Mars Pathfinder websites following the landing several years ago. However, that alone doesn't translate into support for increased funding. Mars Pathfinder was the first successful landing in about 20 years, so naturally curiosity was high.