Patterico's Pontifications

12/30/2010

Obama Extends Vacation Another Day

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 9:08 am



I know y’all were probably worried that he wasn’t getting enough vacation in. Worry no more.

Me, I had to cut my vacation short 2 days for a trial. If only I had lesser responsibilities — like, say, being the president of the entire freaking nation — I guess then I could extend vacations instead of cutting them short.

50 Responses to “Obama Extends Vacation Another Day”

  1. Look at it this way. The more he is out of the Oval Office the less harm he does to the country.
    It would be better for the country if we gave him the next 2 years off.
    With pay.

    Buck (2f4203)

  2. We should take up a collection to pay his greens fees on the promise he play golf and do nothing else until 1/20/13.

    Bugg (4e0dda)

  3. Patrick, you need a dose of reality. Kiss off the trial and visit Disneyland. You know you want to.

    Bar Sinister (4d83c8)

  4. Well the rule is, it’s better for him to be on the links, or filling out brackets than doing anything
    substantive, the recess appointsments are a problem

    narciso (6075d0)

  5. Pat

    There’s Public Service, Public Servants, and Public Perception…

    EricPWJohnson (ebfa93)

  6. I think Buck hit the nail squarely on the head.

    Dave Surls (4ffc7b)

  7. Re #1. Amen, brother. Mandatory vacations for Biden, Pelosi and Reid, as well.

    LarryD (f22286)

  8. This was one of the recess appointments;

    Cole went on to write that the United States has faced “many forms of devastating crime,” from the drug trade to organized crime to rape and child abuse. “The acts of Sept. 11 were horrible, but so are these other things,” he wrote

    Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/30/gop-fuming-recess-appointment-lawyer-compared-drug-trade/#ixzz19cRaxo00

    narciso (6075d0)

  9. I thought i had a wonderfully clever response. then i saw buck say it. oh well…

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  10. As he left for Hawaii last week, Obama pledged his “singular focus” for the next 2 years would be the economy. What he really meant is the economy comes second to a Christmas break with shaved ice, golf, and letting his kids miss a couple of days of school.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  11. He was going to be gone the same amount of time – but since he arrived later than anticipated he just tacked the already planned days onto the end. He breaks even. I think by this point in time, we should expect this and not be surprised.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  12. Trial sounds good- I had to cut my vacation short for what turned out to be a 20 minute hearing.

    lasue (ed9852)

  13. Were you only a judge, you could cut your trial short to enjoy a vacation.

    Len (143e4c)

  14. well, obama is not the first to say “i will not sleep until X happens” and then go and play a little golf.

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  15. I guess then I could extend vacations instead of cutting them short.

    HEY!

    HEY!!

    —————————————–
    >>>>>>>>>>HEY!!!!<<<<<<<<<
    ==========================

    The less time this incompetent bastard spends in the oval office, the better off the American people are — and the same for the people of the world, for that matter, no matter how little they appreciate his absence or us.

    So shut yer trap before the bastard actually listens to someone else for once.

    …And thank whatever diety or force of nature or chance you believe in for every single moment he’s gone.

    šŸ˜›

    IgotBupkis, President, United Anarchist Society (c9dcd8)

  16. With pay.


    Indeed — if he, Biden, Pelosi, and Reid would leave office tomorrow, I’d triple their friggin’ salaries AND pensions.

    What the hell, let’s be generous — let’s give ALL the Democrats in Congress paid leave for the rest of their lives. I could throw darts at random phone book pages and obtain better, more sensible representatives in the lot produced.

    IgotBupkis, President, United Anarchist Society (c9dcd8)

  17. The official in question, Cole, was a consultant to AIG, not at the same rank as it’s former boardmember, the late Richard Holbrooke

    narciso (6075d0)

  18. Isn’t it funny how all these names keep showing up on both lists ? Senior government official and rent seeking corporation board members ?

    Mike K (568408)

  19. Comment by Len ā€” 12/30/2010 @ 10:38 am

    That’s quite a story there. I hope voters speak loudly and clearly at the ballot box regarding Judge Vega. Her behavior was rather extraordinary.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  20. Look, the guy’s only got a little more than two years to earn his PGA Senior Tour qualifier’s card for the 2013 season. Give the man a break

    John (8de657)

  21. Well I hope the President and his family are getting our money’s worth – because it’s certainly a lot:

    * Mrs. Obamaā€™s early flight to Hawaii: $63,000 (White House Dossier)

    * Obamaā€™s round trip flight to Hawaii: $1 million (GAO estimates)

    * Housing in beachfront homes for Secret Service and Seals in Kailua ($1,200 a day for 14 days): $16,800

    * Costs for White House staff staying at Moana Hotel: $134,400 ($400 per day for 24 staff) ā€“ excluding meals and other room costs

    * Police overtime: $250,000 (2009 costs reported by Honolulu Police Department)

    * Ambulance: $10,000 (City Spokesperson)

    TOTAL COST: $1,474,200

    But that $1.47 million figure leaves out a number of signficant costs that simply could not be calculated by Hawaii Reporter:

    * Rental of office building in Kailua on canal

    * Security upgrades and additional phone lines.

    * Costs for car rentals and fuel for White House staff staying at Moana Hotel (Secret Service imports most of the cars used here to escort the president).

    * Surveillance before the president arrives.

    * Travel costs for Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President.

    The article further states that this same vacation could have been done for less.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  22. “As he left for Hawaii last week, Obama pledged his ā€œsingular focusā€ for the next 2 years would be the economy.”

    God help us.

    Dave Surls (4ffc7b)

  23. The more time he spends at the western half-white house, the better. Probably needed the extra time to look for his lost balls . . . and I’m not talking about golf.

    [I denounce & condemn myself for at least one thing that I wrote above]

    Icy Texan (362d26)

  24. If Obama wants to extend his vacation some more, I’m sure Bill Cinton would be happy to fill in, again.

    daleyrocks (a82d72)

  25. It was lame when Democrats ridiculed George W. Bush for going on “vacation” to his ranch in Texas. (Although such was far less expensive to the taxpayer than Obama’s Hawaii vacation) so I won’t ridicule Obama for his vacation.

    However, it does show that Obama’s rhetoric is getting very old, and even the media are not buying it any longer.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  26. That reminds me: Have the guys at Jib-Jab done an “Ebony & Ivory” parody with Bill and Barack yet?

    Icy Texan (362d26)

  27. Agree with Bugg. Let’s pay for his vacation in Hawaii for the next two years, as long as he and Biden don’t set foot in Washington.

    eaglewingz08 (83b841)

  28. t was lame when Democrats ridiculed George W. Bush for going on ā€œvacationā€ to his ranch in Texas. (Although such was far less expensive to the taxpayer than Obamaā€™s Hawaii vacation) so I wonā€™t ridicule Obama for his vacation.

    Indeed. So if you thought the Left was out of line for criticizing Bush for going to Crawford, then you shouldn’t be criticizing Obama for this.

    And also remember that in the modern world, the Oval Office is really wherever the President happens to be. Bush and Obama going on vacation is not like Patterico or one of us going on vacation.

    kishnevi (92ae3e)

  29. kishnevi,

    I can’t remember the last time I played golf.

    I guarantee I have worked more hours in the past month than Obama has. I’d bet the house on it.

    Patterico (665bc9)

  30. With an Evo, an iPad, and a Macbook, it is hard to go on vacation.

    At least Barcky did not read My Pet Goat, William Yelverton’s favorite book, after letting the WTC and Pentagon be destroyed.

    JD (109425)

  31. I agree with SPQR and kishnevi, but SPQR makes the excellent caveat that Bush’s time in Crawford was probably much less expensive to the country.

    In the service of our country, the next time they visit Philly, we’ll provide housing for staff for only $300/person/day, meals included.

    We’ll toss in free accomodations for 1 SEAL in appreciation for his service.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  32. I guarantee I have worked more hours in the past month than Obama has

    I’m sure you have. You probably work more hours in a month than most people, not only Obama. Lack of blog posts alone is pretty good evidence of that. (Cough, cough.)

    But unlike Obama, you don’t get to work at home. You go to the trial, the trial doesn’t go to you.
    Nor does your work follow you on vacation (I hope). Obama does.

    kishnevi (cc1ec4)

  33. Obama does

    Er, I meant Obama’s work follows him on vacation.

    Although the image of Obama as a monster stalking its prey probably would appeal to some people…

    kishnevi (cc1ec4)

  34. stalking his prey…
    If it required hunting to put meat on the table, the Palin kids would be well fed, the Obama kids, not so much.

    BTW, how is anyone with such a huge hitch in his swing going to get a Tour Card?
    Will George buy it for him?

    AD-RtR/OS! (1acacf)

  35. unlike Obama, you donā€™t get to work at home. You go to the trial, the trial doesnā€™t go to you./

    If only. There is preparation. Ask my family if I work at home. Ask them if I have done anything else for the past month.

    Nor does your work follow you on vacation (I hope). Obama does.

    Wrong assumption number two. Want to try for three?

    The issues he deals with are heavier. But I have put in more time than he has in the past month. Period.

    Which is my point.

    Patterico (1c6e81)

  36. I recognize that the presidency carries awesome responsibility.

    I don’t think the president has put in the time commensurate with that responsibility.

    As evidenced by the fact that I have outworked him for the past month, by a longshot.

    I have done little else but work for a month and sleep about five hours per night. I don’t recommend that as a presidential regimen, to be sure, but a little less golf on his part would be nice.

    Patterico (1c6e81)

  37. Sir, you commit heresy!

    AD-RtR/OS! (1acacf)

  38. Comment by kishnevi ā€” 12/30/2010 @ 1:30 pm

    Learn to read.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  39. He wants to spend more time with the family. Don’t they live in the white house or is he keeping them locked in the basement?

    Scrapiron (996c34)

  40. Patterico–I work in retail. You want to know what I’ve been doing the last month?

    SPQR–I was agreeing with you, for heaven’s sake!

    kishnevi (cc1ec4)

  41. I donā€™t recommend that as a presidential regimen, to be sure, but a little less golf on his part would be nice.

    Comment by Patterico ā€” 12/30/2010 @ 5:56 pm

    Silly. Why should he quit playing golf? He deserves it, just for being so awesome.

    He wants to spend more time with the family. Donā€™t they live in the white house or is he keeping them locked in the basement?

    Comment by Scrapiron ā€” 12/30/2010 @ 6:57 pm

    Again: why should he deny himself anything, especially if others are paying for it? It’s not like there are any people paying for his vacation who are out of work or anything. He fixed the planet would have fixed the planet if those mean Republicans hadn’t gotten in his way. So he deserves whatever luxuries his magnificent, generous heart desires.

    the no one you know who hasn't taken a vacation in two years (but has one coming up!) (a8b794)

  42. I wish he would golf more. Every day.anything except f@cking up our country.

    JD (07faa1)

  43. ā€œAs he left for Hawaii last week, Obama pledged his ā€œsingular focusā€ for the next 2 years would be the economy.ā€

    God help us.

    Comment by Dave Surls ā€” 12/30/2010 @ 12:47 pm

    Don’t worry, Mr. Surls. This Obama, he LIES.

    Matador (38213a)

  44. Pattericoā€“I work in retail. You want to know what Iā€™ve been doing the last month?

    Did I make any unfounded assumptions about your hours? Okay then.

    Patterico (1c6e81)

  45. How many times has he claimed the economy would be his primary focus?

    JD (07faa1)

  46. Oh, Great!
    After ending two and a half years of funemployment, now he’s going to get serious about the economy.
    I better start sending out my resume again as things can’t stay this good for much longer.

    AD-RtR/OS! (1acacf)

  47. An anti-capitalist whose singular focus will be on the economy. What could possibly go wrong?

    Icy Texan (362d26)

  48. SPQR and Kishinevi, I disagree. Time Bush spent in Crawford and Camp David was not vacation; but time spent in Hawaii or Maine certainly is vacation. Obama is definitely not putting in full days while he’s out there, and I doubt he’s putting in much time at all, beyond listening to his daily briefing. That’s a vacation. When Bush went on vacation he didn’t work much either; but he didn’t do that much. The only way they get his vacation numbers up is by including Crawford and Camp David days, which is just plain dishonest.

    Bush hardly ever played golf, either. Whereas Obama seems to do nothing but.

    Milhouse (ea66e3)

  49. I know it’s a running joke among conservatives that we’d be better off if Obama stayed on vacation, but I disagree. The point of wanting Obama on vacation is to keep him from making decisions and I agree we’d be better off if that happened … but it won’t as long as he is President. Not only is Obama’s Administration hard at work formulating and implementing new regulations designed to accomplish what Congress failed to pass, but his popularity increases when he’s on vacation and Americans see him doing everyday things with his attractive family.

    The more people see him as President instead of as an everyday American, the more he has to take ownership of the terrible results his policies have caused America and Americans.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  50. Of course Presidents are never truly “on vacation” – the job is 24/7, and the stream of stuff never stops. That has NOTHING to do with where a President vacations, how often, or how much he spends in going.

    I don’t recall the leftists emphasizing these aspects of the job when Dubya or Reagan were at their ranches.

    I do recall the leftists wailing about Dubya’s golfing, but Obama has already played more than twice as many rounds in two years than Bush did in eight, and nary a peep from the left.

    Someone should slap both their faces.

    Estragon (ec6a4b)


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