Patterico's Pontifications

3/8/2014

A Surprising Critic of Presidential Vacations

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 11:18 am



The Obamas have a nice vacation ahead — their third of the year:

White House spokesman Josh Earnest defended President Obama’s weekend vacation in Key Largo, despite the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, arguing Obama would be able to monitor events from Florida.

“What the president will be doing this weekend in Florida is essentially what the president would be doing back at the White House. It’s just that the weather will be a little warmer,” Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One.

“The president is looking forward to spending some time with his wife and daughters, who are traveling down to Florida as well,” he continued. “There are some recreational amenities on the property, including workout facilities, tennis courts, a couple of golf courses.

“If there is an opportunity for the president to enjoy some of those amenities, then he’ll do that. What he will do, and what he is looking forward to doing, is getting a little downtime in the warm weather with his wife and daughters.”

Earlier this week, there was speculation the president could scrap the trip — his third vacation of the year — because of the crisis. But Earnest downplayed the suggestion, saying deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken is traveling to Florida with Obama, along with the “regular assortment of communication tools” allowing the president to attend secure briefings.

Hey, at least he’s being frugal about it. The rooms are only $2500 per night.

There is at least one critic of the idea that a president should be taking a lot of vacations: this guy.

Essentially the bargain that any president, I think, strikes with the American people is: “you give me this office and in turn my fears, doubts, insecurities, foibles, need for sleep, family life, vacations, leisure is gone. I am giving myself to you.” And the American people should have no patience for whatever is going through your head because you’ve got a job to do.

What a churlish person. Who is it? Read on:

And so how I think about it is that you don’t make that decision unless you are prepared to make that sacrifice, that trade off, that bargain and I think that what’s difficult and important for somebody like myself who has a wonderful forbearing wife and two gorgeous young children is that they end up having to make some of those sacrifices with you,” he continued. “And that is a profound decision that you don’t make lightly.

You guessed it, right?

That’s Barack Obama from 2006.

Look at it this way: it’s hardly the first “bargain” he’s made with the American people that he has reneged on. If it makes you feel any better . . .


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