Trip to Spain.

[Marcus Aurelius]

[pjorourke]

TFF

[Sydneyb]

I think that if the president stayed home (which he did) in tough economic times, and all upcoming family trips are in the US (Maine and the Gulf are on the agenda), it seems perfectly reasonable that a mother take her daughter to Spain on her own dime. Yes, there are secret service - but they would be there anyway, its what they DO....

Should my daughter be forced to come home from her summer abroad because my neighbors child can't afford to go? I thought you were the guys that DIDN'T believe in socialism?

[nevergaveitathought]

the sycophants in the eastern media wowed over her arms as though they were extraordinary..she ate it up and now at every turn she is exposing them in most every way imaginable

its a bit much but she obviously believes it so

[Marcus Aurelius]

Originally Posted by Sydneyb

I think that if the president stayed home (which he did) in tough economic times, and all upcoming family trips are in the US (Maine and the Gulf are on the agenda), it seems perfectly reasonable that a mother take her daughter to Spain on her own dime. Yes, there are secret service - but they would be there anyway, its what they DO....

Should my daughter be forced to come home from her summer abroad because my neighbors child can't afford to go? I thought you were the guys that DIDN'T believe in socialism?

On her own dime. Give me a break. Airforce 2. Secret service (40 or 50?)

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by Sydneyb

I think that if the president stayed home (which he did) in tough economic times, and all upcoming family trips are in the US (Maine and the Gulf are on the agenda), it seems perfectly reasonable that a mother take her daughter to Spain on her own dime. Yes, there are secret service - but they would be there anyway, its what they DO....

Should my daughter be forced to come home from her summer abroad because my neighbors child can't afford to go? I thought you were the guys that DIDN'T believe in socialism?

Originally Posted by Marcus Aurelius

On her own dime. Give me a break. Airforce 2. Secret service (40 or 50?)

SB, I agree with you. A mother, first lady or not, should be able to take her daughter on a trip. And there is really no pratical way for the first lady to do so "on her own dime"...so to speak. So, such public cost is the price the public pays for the world we live in today.

Likewise though, folks who live by presenting an image, cannot hide behind such reasonable expectations on the one hand...and cast aspersions of others on the other hand. Kind of "live by the sword, die by the sword".

It is a shame that all of us (politicians, press and political debaters) have degraded into such mudslinging...but we have. And the reason we sling mud...is because it is effective to the audience. The general population wants someone to blame for their plight in life...as opposed to themselves. And they get served up villans on a daily basis.

If you can figure out how to make the general population take reponsibility for themselves...you will have done this country a great service.

[Marcus Aurelius]

"The general population wants someone to blame for their plight in life"
BS.

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by Sydneyb

I think that if the president stayed home (which he did) in tough economic times, and all upcoming family trips are in the US (Maine and the Gulf are on the agenda), it seems perfectly reasonable that a mother take her daughter to Spain on her own dime. Yes, there are secret service - but they would be there anyway, its what they DO....

Should my daughter be forced to come home from her summer abroad because my neighbors child can't afford to go? I thought you were the guys that DIDN'T believe in socialism?

I agree completely in terms of substance.

That being said, it was bad politics to do it anyway. With the media dominated by the right wing echo chamber, there is no way that they don't get shit for it. The better course would have been to go next summer when elections are a year and a half away, not 2 1/2 months away. Just one more example of Obama giving the finger to Congressional Democrats.

[pjorourke]

I like this one better Marcus:

[Sisyphus]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

I like this one better Marcus:

Different cartoon but it's still the wrong country. Some sort of riff on Generalisso Franciso Franco is STILL dead...much funnier!

[Marcus Aurelius]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

I like this one better Marcus:

Agreed. LOL.

[Sydneyb]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

I like this one better Marcus:

Actually, during his birthday dinner, Obama did serve all the entrees with Gulf Coast seafood.

[pjorourke]

Well isn't that special.

[Egrbvr]

Just plain poor judgement IMHO. An effective leader simply would not have let this happen, period.

[Guest050715-1]

My issue isn’t with her taking Air Force 1 and all the secret service. Of course she needs all of that. It’s not even the 300 or whatever ridiculous number of rooms that she requires at the Ritz Carlton. I read somewhere that the cost of just the rooms was $750,000. Really, does she need ALL of those rooms. I can’t imagine her security detail and a buffer zone requiring that much room. Well, maybe 300 rooms at a five star resort for her friends does get me a little bit.

What really galls me is that her husband is telling us to conserve. To, I believe he worded it – not “blowing our cash” in Vegas. It is good advice and such a quaint sound-bite that it’s almost charming. As our leader, no as the leader of the world that is tinkering on the abyss of economic disaster, he and his family should do the same. Louie and Marie Antoinette were spending money that came from the sweat and backs of the citizenry too. Right up to the point that their heads were cut off. Like the saying goes, “There are no bad soldiers, just bad leaders."