The Bush VSE (Vision for Space Exploration) was actually about directing money to Texas (JSC) and Florida (KSC), two key electoral states. (Ex-Majority Leader

The Bush VSE (Vision for Space Exploration) was actually about directing money to Texas (JSC) and Florida (KSC), two key electoral states. (Ex-Majority Leader Tom Delay's home district in Texas includes JSC, e.g. http://www.spacepolitics.com/2004/11/23/delay-at-jsc-and-other-budget-news/ http://www.spacepolitics.com/2004/11/23/delay-at-jsc-and-oth...). This calculus explains why, as I think you note, they didn't care about actually getting to the moon. ;-) In particular, the VSE was not about using upstart private launch companies (such as SpaceX). It was about JSC, KSC, and the large prime contractors (USA aka United Space Alliance, and ULA = United Launch Alliance, both Boeing/LockMart joint ventures) that are associated with them and that together employ over 10K people. I believe SpaceX employs substantially less than 1000, even today. In typical Bush fashion, the VSE was all slogans and no substance. The officials involved believed in what they were doing, but there was not a coherent plan (actually there have been at least two phases of the VSE, with distinct strategies). And of course, as others above have noted, not enough money. The slogan for that approach was "go as you pay". (I.e., we will do the best we can with what you give us.) Sounds cute, but does not get you into orbit.