Obama's took too many taxpayer funded vacations...

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   SparklingJewelposted 12 years ago

   and have alienated middle class democrats
   
   duhhhh, wonder why it took them so long to wake up
   
   http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/ … mas/538141

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      William F. Torpeyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What nonsense! Can't you right wingers find something real to criticize?
      http://factcheck.org/2010/01/president- … tion-days/

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         innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Is there much of a difference between 'vacation' time and frivolous 'diplomacy' missions across the world he's been taking with his family?

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      Paul Wingertposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      SparklingJewel - Get real! Right wing BS coming from a conservative newspaper!

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         lovemychrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Amazing huh? People saying they want to look at all sides, always end up in the far right zone.
         Just like so many so-called Independents always spout these right wing policies.
         
         Fair? I haven't seen it yet.

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      Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the link Jewel.
      
      Did you happen to notice the headline “Dems jealous, angry at Obamas” is not the result of a scientific poll. The entire article is based on the hype of a GOP pollster, John McLaughlin, who had attended two of eleven pre-arranged focus groups consisting of pre-selected participants. Far from a random sampling, wouldn't you say? Did you also notice two statements quoted to support the resentment notion? It turns out the statement “President Obama was the only president to take so many trips” is a total distortion of fact but McLaughlin printed it anyway.
      
      Following his trip to Cannon Falls, MN, several months ago, the press reported President Obama had been outside of Washington on 143 trips (excluding trips to Camp David) compared to President G.W.Bush’s 228 trips during the same time frame in office. (1)
      
      But wait! Mr. McLaughlin talks about vacations. I am sorry. That’s a whole different story. It seems the press corps turns to CBS correspondent Mark Knoller for presidential stats about vacations. In a report dated Feb 20 2012, Mr. Knoller’s tally is George W.’s vacation day count was 220 compared to “less than half of that for Obama” at the same point in each presidency. It must be noted, however, Presidents are never on vacation like normal citizens. They may not be sleeping in the White House but they are still on duty 24/7. (2)
      
      I image Democrats love it when some one raises the subject of vacation time. It gives them the opportunity to remind everyone that President Obama cut short his Christmas vacation in Hawaii in 2010 and again in 2011 to take care of the people’s business in Washington. President Bush, on the other hand, was on vacation in Texas in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and he went to Arizona and California before returning to Washington. 
      
      This article appears to be a biased offering from a GOP operative selling distortions and rigged conclusions to anyone who is willing to buy them.
      
      (1) http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/08/1 … ts-travel/
      (2) http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/ … ons/294051

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         Dr Billy Kiddposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for giving us some of the details. One would hope a president takes enough vacations to keep from getting burned out.

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      William F. Torpeyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= … mp;theater

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2. 79

   Aficionadaposted 12 years ago

   Wow. Interesting article. I wonder if it will have any effect on the administration?

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3. 78

   Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

   Now here's a perfect opportunity for Romney to swoop in and invite these disenfranchised Dems out to his $12 million La Jolla beach house and let them use the car elevator.
   They will see what it means to be truly in touch with the American middle class. Yessiree.

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      Josakposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      As ever Obama is the lesser of two evils. *sigh* I hate Voting in America.

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   Shanna11posted 12 years ago

   The New York Times printed a short article today on page A14 that says that Mrs Obama cost taxpayers almost half a million dollars on a vacation to Spain in 2010.  She took her daughters, friends and their daughters.
   
   That's a lot of money...

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   Paul Wingertposted 12 years ago

   One of the perks for being the first lady. Oh well. Now how many other first ladies and presidents took expensive vacations and to top it off, who cares?

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      Shanna11posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What a silly question-- clearly somebody cares, or the NYT would not have run the story.

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         Paul Wingertposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         This goes along the same lines when Fox Noise slammed Obama for appearing on Jimmy Fallon show a few nights ago. But of course they fail to realize that's nothing new. Remember Nixon on Laugh In?

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            Shanna11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I wasn't born then, so no.

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         mikelongposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Actually, no one cares, aside from propagandists bent on getting their two-bit candidate elected. The GOP continually lives with selective blinders on....whatever blunders they carry out they "forget"....and then whenever the Dems remind them of their stupidity the GOP run around claiming that the Dem's are playing the "blame game"...
         
         Sheesh...  I'm beginning to think that the GOP membership (a large percentage) have very low I.Q.'s/cognitive reasoning skills.....
         
         Otherwise, I don't see how any of their rhetorical antics work....
         
         They're drinking too much of the "brain-drain" kool-aid.

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            Shanna11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Well I care, so there's somebody who cares, even if you say 'nobody does'. I care if the POTUS and his family (regardless of party affiliation) are spending exorbitant amounts of taxpayer money that could be used better elsewhere, and you should to!
            
            Just because I'm criticizing Mrs. Obama's expenses doesn't mean I'm automatically Republican or that I ignore the ridiculous spending of past presidents (I.E Bush). To coin your phrase "Sheesh"!

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               mikelongposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Then you need to be realistic...
               
               Does the word "vacation" regarding the POTUS relate to the way you or I would use the word?
               
               Use critical reasoning skills please...
               
               Is he still working?   Yes or No....
               
               How much "vacation" time has Obama taken compared to other presidents?  Is he an "abuser" of the system?  Show your proofs, please. And if we are truly worried about the "costs" of these trips, are we actually discussing relative pennies while ignoring the real issues?  What stupid games people play...
               
               I don't know how you identify yourself politically. However, I look to the validity of the argument being presented...and in this case it is smoke and mirrors... There is a definite agenda in your message, and the only opposing tack, regardless of how you identify yourself, is the failed GOP...and you are peddling their same failed talking points...
               
               Sheesh indeed!

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                  Shanna11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes indeed, Sheesh again!
                  
                  My goodness, some people just like to be difficult. Goodbye.

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                     mikelongposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     No....some people use critical thinking before making statements.
                     
                     If you can't, then perhaps you need a different line of work/entertainment than hubpages political forums or political discourse altogether....
                     
                     Answer the basic questions....show that you have a rational mind, and then we will see where you stand... 
                     
                     Otherwise, you are just a tool....a poor version of a deluded pied piper working directly or indirectly for the failed GOP...

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            2. 71

               William F. Torpeyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               The high cost of presidential traveling is not from "vacations," but from security, press coverage, air travel and secure lodging. I wouldn't want to see our president taking a bus and staying at Motel 6 -- and without security or the press not covering him (while he works, yes works, on vacation.)

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   habeeposted 11 years ago

   I think Reagan took the most vacation days of all recent presidents, and Clinton took the fewest. Bush 2 took more than Obama.

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