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Obama's vacations and golf outings, by the numbers

nota bene said:
The President is the President wherever he goes, and I'm surely not the only one who's seen photos of how much the Office ages a person. But a "friendly" such as Dana Milbank saying that Obama is giving the appearance of "tone deafness" is significant. A majority of Americans now find his handling of foreign policy poor:

—42 percent say the conflict between Israel and Hamas is “very” or “extremely” important to them; 60 percent disapprove of the way Obama has handled it.

—40 percent consider the situation in Afghanistan highly important; 60 percent disapprove of Obama’s handling of it.

—38 percent give high importance to the conflict in Ukraine; 57 percent disapprove of what Obama has done about that.

—38 percent find the situation in Iraq of pressing importance; 57 percent disapprove of Obama’s handling of it. Foreign policy no longer a strong point for Obama as troubles pile up across globe, AP-GfK poll shows | Associated Press GfK Poll

Not good. Not good for the President, and not good for our country.

Dana Milbank: Obama vacations as the world burns - The Washington Post
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The thing is the partisanship behind all of this. I have no problem with people having the opinion that president's shouldn't take vacation in times of trouble or crisis or even if people have the opinion that it doesn't matter. The problem I have is when those that defended Bush on his vacation's are now complaining about Obama like it is the end of the world. Vice-versa those on the left that complained about Bush's vacations should also be complaining about Obama's.
 
I have no problem with a POTUS vacationing.

But I have a big problem when he charges taxpayers millions and millions of dollars on I ndividual ones (like his Christmas trip to Hawaii).
Every time he flies somewhere he takes Air Force One PLUS at least one other plane (loaded with security vehicles) as well...which costs many millions just to fly for 6-8 hours (like to Hawaii).
And save the 'it's already budgeted' crap. He does not have to spend the money...he could easily give the millions in savings to the local D.C. poor.

I especially object when he is running the country so badly that over 20% of all U.S. households are on food stamps...and getting worse.

Record 20% of Households on Food Stamps in 2013 | CNS News

That is pathetic.

As long as he is Prez and sucking so many of those he governs would go hungry without government assistance; then he can fly coach.

And if that makes it less safe for him, I don't care...he can vacation close to home and travel by car.

He can go on his elaborate vacations when he leaves office.


And Obama lovers with endless excuses for him, please save them...I do not even begin to care what they are.

As long as so many Americans are in such piverty, he can forget the elaborate trips...it won't kill him.
 
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In today's world, if Presidents weren't allowed to take vacations when something 'important' is happening, then they'd never get to take vacations.
 
radcen said:
I agree with this, and the focus on Presidential vacations in general is way too partisan. But, there is something developing with this particular vacation that has me irked.

Oabama's interrupting his vacation and coming back to the WH on Sunday... for something that they will not confirm or divulge... then going back on Tuesday. Why? Transporting the President around is expensive. If it's important, say so. If it's not important enough to say so, don't come back, just do it from your vacation spot. Without explanation, this is being too fast-and-loose with taxpayer money.
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Sounds like something secret. I'd rather not hear about it than jeopardize something important. I'm trying not to reflexively defend, but I'm sure nobody wants to pack it in for Washington for such a short time if it can be avoided.


Or maybe he forgot his toothbrush.
 
rocket88 said:
Sounds like something secret. I'd rather not hear about it than jeopardize something important.

Or maybe he forgot his toothbrush.
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My Spidey Sense tells me it's going to be anti-climatic. Partly because if it were something super-duper secret it wouldn't be publicized to begin with.
 
radcen said:
My Spidey Sense tells me it's going to be anti-climatic. Partly because if it were something super-duper secret it wouldn't be publicized to begin with.
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It could be the monthly meeting of the Kenyan Society of Super-Secret Muslims. It was his month to host...
 
TheNextEra said:
And it seems the Cons aren't understanding now that Obama is president yet they gave a free pass to Bush.

BTW Let's make it clear, a conservative (you) was the one to FIRST bring up Bush in this thread.
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Um, no, I wasn't. ;)
 
jonny5 said:
I do when its costing us 400 billion year in interest.
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His vacations are costing $400 Billion a year?

Who knew????

You should really report these expenses to congressional republicans.
 
I'm still waiting for someone to compare Obama to a good president...
 
jonny5 said:
He just took one to Hawaii in April. Do you get 2-4 vacations a year? Do you get to take a vacation when you have responsibilities at work? Are you as effective at working between golf holes as you are sitting in your office with your coworkers? He can take a break when he EARNS it. If he cant handle the job, lets get someone in there who can.
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Clearly you didn't read shrub's link or you'd be embarrassed to continue to criticise the number of trips and vacations Obama has taken!
 
CanadaJohn said:
I don't begrudge anyone vacation time, particularly when they are in high-pressured jobs. When I was working, I made sure I took every last day I was entitled to take and whenever anyone commented on it - I was entitled to a lot of vacation time - I simple told them not to be jealous or stupid and worry about their own vacation and make sure they take all of it because nobody gives you a medal for sacrificing your mental and physical health.

That said, I think it's a little disingenuous to compare Bush vacations to Obama's in that if I'm not mistaken Bush took all of his vacation time either at his home in Texas or at his family's compound in Maine. Has Obama spent a day at his home in Chicago since he entered the White House? And what is with the need of liberals to hob-knob with the wealthy when they vacation? The Clinton's leeched off the well to do in Martha's Vineyard too, didn't they?

Anyway, as has been mentioned already, most every conservative I know believes your country would be much better off if Obama took the next 2 and a half years off vacationing and on the golf course.
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Of course partisan conservatives would think that, as partisan liberals thought the same of Bush, IOW, what partisans think, doesn't matter!
 
radcen said:
In today's world, if Presidents weren't allowed to take vacations when something 'important' is happening, then they'd never get to take vacations.
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Not at all. Weve have several lulls where they can take a break. Certainly this year has been a busy one, but thats mainly because of the failure to act in the last 4 years, not to mention decades. Maybe we need to elect someone who doesnt have a family to deal with, or fundraising to care about. Someone who puts the jobs needs ahead of their own.
 
jonny5 said:
He might be ON CALL, but hes not on the job. When he isnt on vacation or actually working, hes campaigning or throwing parties at the white house.
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You should learn to be more cynical of all politicians - not just the ones you don't like. For instance, most of every politician's job is taken up by raising funding. Or why do you think that the House and Senate are both presently on five-week vacations, hm? And this is even more important to them now, thanks to your boys on the Supreme Court deciding that money is the same thing as speech....

and btw - those parties at the White House? Those are part of his JOB...and one he probably hates. It's an essential part of diplomacy, of networking, of building influence among the powerful and influential (which today includes movie stars as it once included media figures such as Mark Twain or other writers). Such has been a part of the president's job since George Washington held the very first state dinner, the very first time he and those he wanted to befriend went hunting or fishing or simply shared some whiskey with the powerful and influential on the taxpayer dime.
 
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shrubnose said:
A lot of people on this planet play a lot of golf.

It's a popular activity.
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Most of them with really big jobs - like say, leader of the free world - don't play all that much.
 
Glen Contrarian said:
You should learn to be more cynical of all politicians - not just the ones you don't like. For instance, most of every politician's job is taken up by raising funding. Or why do you think that the House and Senate are both presently on five-week vacations, hm? And this is even more important to them now, thanks to your boys on the Supreme Court deciding that money is the same thing as speech....
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Great post Glen!
 
jonny5 said:
He just took one to Hawaii in April. Do you get 2-4 vacations a year? Do you get to take a vacation when you have responsibilities at work? Are you as effective at working between golf holes as you are sitting in your office with your coworkers? He can take a break when he EARNS it. If he cant handle the job, lets get someone in there who can.
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Honestly, this is total nonsense. He's the president. He never really gets a vacation. And anyone who thinks he does is truly delusional. The 3am calls still come.
 
Top Cat said:
Honestly, this is total nonsense. He's the president. He never really gets a vacation. And anyone who thinks he does is truly delusional. The 3am calls still come.
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Yes, and this one ignores them.
 
jonny5 said:
Which party would I be a partisan for?
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You appear to be applying one standard to a democratic president but a different one to a republican president who in your view should be an even worse offender.
 
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