Michelle Obama's Spanish vacation draws critics

[LAtoBA]

They are NOT paying for their own trip!!!!

They are reimbursing the cost of 2 roundtrip first class tickets and a small % of the hotel costs. In total, about 15-20K. Considering the ENTIRE trip cost upwards of 250,000 I would say they aren't paying for SH&T.

I have no problem with a president being wealthy...the problem I have is the rampant Hypocrisy that spews from their mouths. When the NY Times, The Post, and even The Huffington Blog are "questioning" the trip, it's clear there was something very wrong (timing, if nothing else).

And you know what, yeah...they should have traveled somewhere less extravagant.

Because the Huffington Blog, NY Times, and The Post are known for their world class, introspective journalism. Really? Come on. What they say is truly irrelevant. Hypocrisy, what hypocrisy? Be more specific.

Speaking of hypocrisy where are all these journalists that are up in arms about her trip vacationing? Where do they live? I can assure you it's not across the Anacostia river in DC, the south side of Chicago, Bankhead or the West End in Atlanta, South/East LA, rural Louisiana, the Appalachians (it's like a developing country there). I doubt most have even visited these places. I wonder are they giving up parts of their salary or even their time to the innumerable number of charities in the US in those specific type of areas?

Rhetoric is one thing action is another.

I have no problem with criticism of the Obama admin if it's relevant. Key word relevant. This is not. We're talking about one vacation that doesn't even include the President. To try and paint Michelle as a modern day Marie Antoinette is shock/superfluous journalism at its best and one of the reasons I refrain from reading the very news sources you cited.

Also, if you're going to cite numbers, please cite sources.

 

[jaredwb]

Because the Huffington Blog, NY Times, and The Post are known for their world class, introspective journalism. Really? Come on. What they say is truly irrelevant. Hypocrisy, what hypocrisy? Be more specific.

Speaking of hypocrisy where are all these journalists that are up in arms about her trip vacationing? Where do they live? I can assure you it's not across the Anacostia river in DC, the south side of Chicago, Bankhead or the West End in Atlanta, South/East LA, rural Louisiana, the Appalachians (it's like a developing country there). I doubt most have even visited these places. I wonder are they giving up parts of their salary or even their time to the innumerable number of charities in the US in those specific type of areas?

Rhetoric is one thing action is another.

I have no problem with criticism of the Obama admin if it's relevant. Key word relevant. This is not. We're talking about one vacation that doesn't even include the President. To try and paint Michelle as a modern day Marie Antoinette is shock/superfluous journalism at its best and one of the reasons I refrain from reading the very news sources you cited.

Also, if you're going to cite numbers, please cite sources.

If you want sources, look them up yourself...I did. You can find them most everywhere.

1st. they rented 60/70 rooms at a 5 star hotel (CBS News)
2nd. 6.5 hour flight runs 73,781.50 (1 way) (CBS/FOX/DOD) Average cost is 7K for 1st class ticket (check any airline)
3rd. They are responsible for the round trip reimbursement ONLY (CBS/FOX/NBC)

And you TOTALLY miss the point. It isn't about traveling to Spain or even a Defense Dept flight, I don't expect the President or his family to travel commercial.

IT IS the timing and the hypocrisy, period. Again, Obama has spent the last year talking about fiscal responsibility (FUNNY) and cutting back and that "they understand the difficulties facing main street". (HYPOCRISY, in case you miss it)

As for the other agencies I reported...they are the LIBERAL agencies complaining about their Golden Child...I was pointing out that not only the right leaning news agencies, but ALL are reporting on the story and ALL agree that it was an unwise, Marie Antoinette moment. And what does where they live have anything to do with it???

 

[jaredwb]

Seriously? I'm sorry that we live in a world that requires the President of the US & his wife & children to be protected 24/7. It's not their fault they can't just fly off on a regular scheduled flight where ever & when ever they want. All the "stuff" that goes along with them traveling is not their fault. It's part of the "job". So they don't have to reimburse it.

Let's use our brains a bit instead of just reading into the hype. Again US$250,000 is a drop water in the bucket of the untold amount of money that is spent without our knowledge. Go ask how much is being spent on any of the defense department's expenses. Good luck getting an answer.

This is a non issue.

Whoa Whoa Whoa! Sorry, I missed the part where it is in Michelle's job description to travel to Spain on an Ultra luxurious trip ON MY TAX DOLLARS to pay a visit to her friend who had a loved one pass away.

And I agree, 250,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the 1.5 trillion Obama has run up since being in office. Still that is 250,000 that I'm not happy contributing to.

 

[LAtoBA]

If you want sources, look them up yourself...I did. You can find them most everywhere.

1st. they rented 60/70 rooms at a 5 star hotel (CBS News)
2nd. 6.5 hour flight runs 73,781.50 (1 way) (CBS/FOX/DOD) Average cost is 7K for 1st class ticket (check any airline)
3rd. They are responsible for the round trip reimbursement ONLY (CBS/FOX/NBC)

And you TOTALLY miss the point. It isn't about traveling to Spain or even a Defense Dept flight, I don't expect the President or his family to travel commercial.

IT IS the timing and the hypocrisy, period. Again, Obama has spent the last year talking about fiscal responsibility (FUNNY) and cutting back and that "they understand the difficulties facing main street". (HYPOCRISY, in case you miss it)

As for the other agencies I reported...they are the LIBERAL agencies complaining about their Golden Child...I was pointing out that not only the right leaning news agencies, but ALL are reporting on the story and ALL agree that it was an unwise, Marie Antoinette moment. And what does where they live have anything to do with it???

I would look it up but I don't really care. As I said the last couple of times this is a non issue that people are attempting to make into something it's not. If you wanted to come up with hypocrisy and Obama there are much better examples out there. For instance, how he has reneged on more than a few of his campaign promises. Then I could shake my head with you in agreement because that is a real issue. Alas, this is not.

By the way.....YOU DON'T NEED TO WRITE IN CAPS TO MAKE YOUR POINT. I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING W/O THEM.

 

[jaredwb]

I would look it up but I don't really care. As I said the last couple of times this is a non issue that people are attempting to make into something it's not. If you wanted to come up with hypocrisy and Obama there are much better examples out there. For instance, how he has reneged on more than a few of his campaign promises. Then I could shake my head with you in agreement because that is a real issue. Alas, this is not.

By the way.....YOU DON'T NEED TO WRITE IN CAPS TO MAKE YOUR POINT. I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING W/O THEM.

In agreement, but too tired to look them up and post them

And I only write in caps when I am yelling at the screen..putting emphasis on the loudly screamed words.

 

[LAtoBA]

And what does where they live have anything to do with it???

It has everything to do with it. Their "concern" for the Americans that are truly hurting right now is disingenuous. Sensationalist journalism at its best.

All I'm saying is they need to practice what they preach. I find it laughable that these same journalists who live in Dupont Circle and Georgetown in DC are the same folks wagging their fingers at Michelle for lavishness.

 

[mini]

Whoa Whoa Whoa! Sorry, I missed the part where it is in Michelle's job description to travel to Spain on an Ultra luxurious trip ON MY TAX DOLLARS to pay a visit to her friend who had a loved one pass away.

And I agree, 250,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the 1.5 trillion Obama has run up since being in office. Still that is 250,000 that I'm not happy contributing to.

You missed my point. She can not travel anywhere without security. She is not obliged to stay home because you don't want to pay for her security.

Just tell me where to send the check for $0.25 and I'll pay your share of that trip.

Anyway as was point out several times this is an non-issue.

 

[M1ke]

...But since you seem to feel the LA Times is such a biased paper, here you go with another article. I suppose you’ll say the UK Daily Mail also has it in for the obamas.

Just as an aside, the Daily Mail is renowned here for hysterically screeching about total non-issues. It almost borders on self-parody; most of the time it's filled with silly articles about how non-white people are causing the downfall of civilisation and that single mums are the scourge of humanity.

It's not a great example of sane, balanced press just for future reference.