Give me a break. I was reading via a link on Drudge that President and Mrs. Obama went to New York City for dinner and a play on Broadway over the weekend. The President had apparently promised his wife that when the campaign was all over, he would take her on this trip.
I think its great. While the President of the United States is our nation’s top elected official, and our Commander-in-Chief, he is, first and foremost, a regular citizen of this country like the rest of us. So seeing him find time for the "regular" stuff is actually, I think, a positive think.
I have to admit that I rolled my eyes to see that the Republican National Committee took the President to task for this trip. As you know, when the President travels, it’s not like in that movie, Dave, where he sneaks out a secret exit of the White House and goes out as some regular guy, he travels as President’s travel — with a lot of security and protection. So our trip out may be, "hop in the car" — his involves, at least this trip, Marine One (the helicopter) and a motorcade.
Does it cost money for the President to travel anywhere or to do anything? Of course. But I wouldn’t want to send the message that if you become elected President, you have to be a prisoner to your office for four years, having only ancillary moments of pleasure when you won’t cause any taxpayer expense to protect you during your activities (tiddlywinks in the White House anyone?).
President Barack Obama is a socialist who is driving hard-left policies that are vastly increasing our country’s debt, and expanding the size and scope of the federal government well beyond anyone’s wildest imagination — that is worth blasting him in the media every day!
But attacking him for taking his wife to the Blue Hill Restaurant in The Village and to a performance of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at the Belasco? That’s tacky. At least I think so, and takes away from legitimate criticism.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Jon Fleishman defending Barack Obama. I wonder how much money I could have made betting against that happening. Very good column.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Jon: Respectfully, I disagree.
If Obama wanted to keep his promise to his wife, he could have done this as President-elect, not 6 months later, while the country is going through economic pains and woes.
I want to hold President Obama promise of creating jobs, because he owes it to the country.
Whatever promises or pillow talk he makes to his wife should not curtail his duties to the country.
Therefore, as loyal opposition Republicans, we have an obligation to put the President in the hot seat, because the country surely does NOT deserve in the heat of economic pains!
June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
I agree with Jon.
I don’t mind slamming on Obama for stupid and ineffective policy decisions. Taking his wife out to dinner is hardly one of those decisions.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
You’re right, Jon. What about Obama’s shabby treatment of Netanyahu while cozying up to Iran, Egypt & the Saudis?
June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Everything the president does costs us money! Why should this be any different….
He did pay the equivelent of round trip airfare for his wife and himself.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Thank you for bringing this up, Jon. You are right. There are plenty of valid reasons to criticize Obama. Date night with the wife isn’t one of them.
People on our side who attack him on this make us all look like absolute morons.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
I think it was an ill-advised and ill-timed trip, and he deserves the criticism, for the following reasons:
1. The First Family already enjoyed a two week vacation in Hawaii this year, since the election. They also had vacation time in Chicago and Camp David.
2. They live in Washington, D.C. If you want to spend a night out with your spouse, and you live in Los Angeles, you go to a venue in Los Angeles. You don’t fly to San Francisco. There are plenty of great night spots in the D. C. area they could have gone to for their “date”. Catch a show the next time you are in New York for other purposes.
3. According to the Washington Times, the trip cost $250,000! For dinner and a show! Now, I recognize that anything the president does of this nature is out of scope because of security arrangements, but this occurred within two days of the government shepherding GM into bankruptcy! As you will recall, the GM president was ripped for flying a jet to hearings in Congress last year. Untold millions of people are out of work and suffering right now. Is this the right message to be sending?
4. The “Green” president used three jets to fly to New York for a date. What’s the message there, especially when he is working hard to institute a punitive carbon tax on people’s heating fuel?