Obama vacations. Not including a recent trip to Maine, I guess. Or this Spain trip. http://theweek.com/article/index/205136/obama-master-of-the-speed-vacation How many presidential vacations have the Obamas taken? The whole family visited Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon last summer, Martha's Vineyard in late August, Hawaii at Christmas, and Chicago over Memorial Day. In all, Obama has spent all or part of 65 days on vacation, including at Camp David, according to CBS News' Mark Knoller. George W. Bush had spent 120 days on vacation at the same point in his presidency.
That's not being fair at all. Is she allowed to take a commercial flight? I don't believe she is. Does she choose the number of secret service agents who protect her? Seems very unlikely. barfo
Well if that is the rule, then that is, IMO, just silly. And even if, she could still charter a private flight on her own dime rather than use AF2. Very unlikely indeed--but someone in the government is responsible for that seemingly excessive figure. Why is it so high? Because she's overseas? Because she invited dozens of friends? Regardless of the individual responsibility, it is still representative of gross government excess.
Maybe. 68 certainly seems excessive, but we don't know what the 68 are up to. For all we know it is too few. barfo
There are a few things we can ALWAYS count on you for: 1) It's all the fault of the "right" and the "left" can, literally, never do wrong. 2) Play the race card after you've been beaten into the ground. 3) Give good real estate advice when called to do so.
Is there any slime you won't throw? Any vomit spewed by AM scream radio you won't mindlessly and endlessly repeat (without bothering to verify facts, too much trouble)? Any fake made up scandal you won't spread? A multimillionaire drug addict lavishly celebrates his fourth "sacred" marriage while ranting against unemployment compensation, health care for low income children and mocking a man with a fatal disease calls the First Lady "Michelle Antoinette" -- just who is having a "let them eat cake" moment? Why not fucking tell the truth about what is bothering you? "How dare that n----- be president of MY America?"
Actually--just did some quick figuring. There are 168 hours in a week. Let's say the agents are working 42 hour weeks; that means it actually takes 4 agents to provide one-man-strong round-the-clock security, meaning that 68 agents is actually only 17 at any one time. 17 secret service agents to protect the first family still seems a tad high, but not egregious, and very well may be necessary given the (likely) unfamiliarity of the surroundings. Therefore, I would like to retract my previous comments about the quantity of agents, and instead criticize the "journalist" for not doing a similar analysis.
Plus, figure that a few are her bodyguards, a few stay with air force two to make sure no one messes with that, a few stay at the hotel so they don't have to sweep it each night, and a few are sent ahead to scout the locations she is visiting next. barfo
Since I started this thread, I assume your vitriol is directed at me. Is it really your contention that it's not that I disapprove of President Obama's policies, but that I disapprove of his presidency because he's half black? Your post is beyond ignorant and without any shred of evidence. I don't know from where your anger comes, but you appear to have serious psychological issues that no amount of cat adoption can begin to address.
To say that race plays a huge part in the current broo-hah-hah about Michelle Obama is ridiculous. However, to say that it plays NO PART WHATSOEVER is also ridiculous.
I think it's also important to differentiate individual opinion from group opinion. Yes, some (I would contend very few) have a problem with a black first family, and that may even have impacted the reporting on this vacation, but that does not mean that all criticism thereof is necessarily race-related (even in part). I happen to believe maxiep when he says that race plays no part in his critique.
Seems unrealistically low to me. Spain is a central hub for worldwide terrorism and I would think killing or kidnapping the First Lady and daughter would be a dream come true for Osama bin Laden's boys.
This is what I think of. Imagine if that were to happen. The same people against their trip would become fervently angry that more wasn't done to protect them, plus set off an almost-9/11 patriotic rage.
It plays no part whatsoever for me. It could be Teresa Heinz Kerry, Elizabeth Edwards or even Cindy McCain and I'd still be calling that person out.
