Bush showed no signs he gave a rat's ass about NASA till after Columbia.

A good point. I was shocked to hear that as Governor he hadn't once paid NASA a visit in his own state. Is that true?

From what I've heard the Commission did some work on trying to ensure continued funding through successive administrations, but I haven't come across anything more solid than concentrated wishful thinking in that regard.

On the NASA site (perhaps not the best place for objective info) there was a recent blurb indicating some 60% of the American public is behind Moon, Mars and Beyond. Maybe public support (if it's real and it continues) will encourage the next admin to--at a minimum--leave NASA alone. Goes without saying, I suppose, that adding our voices to the chorus of support wouldn't hurt...