YMMV / Deception Point

• Alternate Character Interpretation - It is a common myth among the general American public and politicians that NASA receives a lot of support from the general public. The reality is a bit complicated - a majority of Americans do supports space exploration, but a majority of that majority also support abolishing NASA ^note  the number changed with time thought, in Apollo era the public was not in support of NASA, but it increased in 1997. A 2006 poll shows somewhat the same result. When the news of success from the private industries sinks in (their message in 2004: "SpaceShipOne, Government Zero"◊, which translates to "DEFUND NASA NOW"), the public turned against NASA: 58% want it gone in 2011 . This is the world of Deception Point and real life. Therefore, it is likely that a majority Americans (in universe and maybe in real life) would view these people as:^note Subjective tropes shouldn't be used in real life, but politics is all making people associate these tropes to various other politicians. Besides, this is a work of fiction and we are in YMMV
  • Sedgewick Sexton: A Hero with Bad Publicity politician - somewhat. Sure, he is racist and abusive, but at lease he is trying to reform the government. But the "racist" part along would net him a huge flame war on media - just like Ron Paul.
  • Lawrence Ekstrom, Christopher, and the rest of NASA's about 15,000 civil servant workforce: Corrupt Bureaucrats who would lie to the general public for the 110,000 annual salary while earthbound humanity by savaging any private industries attempting to get human off the planet. Plus, trying to start up World War III.
    • NASA is naturally the Big Bad.
  • William Pickering: A misguided intelligence officer who would ignore the future of humanity and disregard his daughter's death just for the sake of nostalgia. For those who interpret that William Pickering secretly wants to defund NASA, it's The Extremist Was Right.
  • Majorie Trench: A poor woman who appears to be helping the hero, until it is reveal she's secretly helping the Big Bad.
  • Rachael Sexton: Her past has robbed her of logic, so she ended up helping the Big Bad.
• Magnificent Bastard: Director William Pickering, National Reconnaisance Office Agent Rachel Sexton's seemingly unimposing employer, seeks to prevent the privatization of space travel for the sake of national security. Sending evidence of a Senator's misconduct to a White House staffer, Pickering commissions a forged meteor made from deep sea fossil and has it warped using hydrogen fuel. Subsequently placing the forged meteor near Ellesmere Island, Pickering forcibly has a Canadian geologist report falsified information for an unknowing NASA to find before having the geologist thrown to his death. When the forgery is discovered by Rachel, oceanographer Michael Tolland and astrophysicist Dr. Corky Marlinson, among others, Pickering attempts to have the team hunted down to preserve the ruse. During the final confrontation with the trio, Pickering intercepts an SOS from Rachel, telling her Senator father not to release the information about the forgery if he wants to ensure Rachel's survival.
• Moral Event Horizon: Senator Sexton demonstrates himself to be beyond forgiveness when he shows indifference to the fact that his daughter is in danger while he prepares to turn the evidence of the meteorite forgery public, thus destroying Herney's reputation. And when Gabrielle asks him what if she gets killed, what is his reply? "Then she will cement my sympathy vote."

---