If anybody ever deserves a vacation from time-to-time, it's the president of the United States. In this case, he's home working while the family is visiting Africa. There is a cost to the taxpayer involved with this trip, I'm sure, but it's nowhere near what some people seem to be imagining. I mean, why don't we just insist on bachelor presidents, it would "be cheaper" than having to feed and provide security for an unnecessary family in the WH...or Africa...

Like Bush never took vacations...gimme a break. That guy spent more time in Crawford than DC. He took a vaca like every other month. Obama is CHEAP in comparison to Bush...and I'm not EVEN talking about Bush screwing up the economy...which he is of course totally guilty of. "The fundamentals of the economy are strong". Sound familiar???

I agree. Im glad somebody have some sense.

I am thrilled to let the rest of the world know that we are not such monsters, (except for the GOP). It seems more fitting that going to Crawford, TX every weekend, to bed at 9 PM, massaging the neck of German Chancellor Merkel, dodging shoes, and lying to get us into wars. Keep it up, First Family.

@Hawaii2, he still isn't even close to the number of vacations dubya had by this time in his presidency. They all take goodwill trips and vacations, even the ones you approve of. Get your head out of your butt and look at it fairly. You seem to be holding the Obamas to a separate standard It's that because of their politics or their race?

oh wow...a cute little story about the obama girls and people have turned it poitical in just a matter of seconds.

Brandy:

The comments to Hawaii2 are so OFFBASE.

This is NOT political; it is about the hard Economic times Americas lives in today.

It is offensive to American citizens who are fighting for their lives to keep from sinking even further down the tube with NO MONEY---JOBS; further Unemployment, and no housing for most of those here---this is not Political. It is another Great Depression, and nothing is being addressed or done about it---

Presidents stay low key when there is such a mess while they are President to show that they are compassionate/sensitive about their woes. The Bush's took their vacations at their ranch/home in Texas. Tell me about the World Trips he took while the Wars were going on.

We as Americans want improvement and quality in our lives. We are not getting it with this Administration, except for State Dinners, Entertainment--Vacations galore, taking many relatives on the "free" ride of Presidential perks--

Black as President?---what a joke. A US President has NO color--it's the quality of the job they are doing--go back and start over again.

How is your job? Do you own a house/condo?---can you get a loan, and do you have extra money to have some fun.

First of all the First Lady is entitled to Air Force One travel like Laura Adora, Hillary Clinton, Mamie Eishenhower and Jackie Kennedy were. Secondly, the Obamas are paying for this trip.

Third...to all the jealous men out there who are supposedly working their "asses off", you aren't. Truman put in 14 hour days. Clinton put in 16 hour days and so does this President. The only presidents who put in a 40 hour week or less were the 2 Bushes. No surprise there. And both of their wives traveled the globe while their husbands were president. Where was the bitching then?

If you are working your "asses" off, you spend an awful lot of time working them off only by criticizing the President of the United States. I doubt you've worked your asses off. Just look behind you. Those computer asses are as big as King Kong's.

Times are so tough for you young snot nosed Daycare Generation Twerps? You have time to spend on 2 vacations a year but can't find jobs. You can afford Bully Boy pick up trucks, McMansions and sitting at the bars for Happy Hour.

Read my lips: You are not poor. People without electricity, heat or hot water, food, decent clothing (not your Dolce & Gabbana $700 a pop shoes) or a roof over their heads reliably are poor. You are the same jealous little bois who farm out your yard work to illegals. They work THEIR asses off mowing a lawn you pay them dirt wages to do.

Work President Obama's 16 hour days and then bitch. Till then, you are nothing but a bunch of Wussie Wimps.

You complain there are NO jobs. Of course not. No one rings your damn doorbells and begs you to stop playing computer games or that texting you can't live without so they can hire you to actually do some work for a change.

The whining of the affluent in this society is really getting to be a bit much. Many decent Americans do what they can to survive. The whiners never have enough, never get enough, never seem to find anything right with the world and then manage to turn the rest of society into their landfill of whining and criticisms.

No one questioned the numerous trips Laura Bush took. Why? No one from the vicious attack minded right said a word when the Bush daughters partied hardy in NY City bars till dawn.

Jealous little men find every gnat hole a reason to blame this and only this president for the misery they inflicted on themselves by electing a Harvard MBA good for nothing for 2 terms.

Ok....checking just to be sure. Yep, been since Oct of last year since I had a regular pay check. I would like to take my grandson on a trip to...say....McDonalds? But I can't very well do that. Of course....I will file my taxes like a good citizen so OB's kids can go hang all over the world.

Oh, and about "he still isn't even close to the number of vacations dubya had by this time".....2 years....8 years....hmmmm. Taking any bets as to how they would compare if their time was equal? LOOK!!! Right over there to your right is "A GRIP!" GET IT.

HDawg...Not too many jobs in Dog Patch these days. Seems like asses that move can have 3 "uniquely American" jobs...I should know. I finish my full timer at 2 PM and start 2 others until 9 PM. It's called W O R K....that four letter word men find every excuse in the book to avoid using....or doing.

Flash...Nope it isn't...Moving your ass is. This very morning, there were at least 12 guys in and out of our building working on an annex to the building complex...no jobs? Or men and women in Dog Patch too used to having it all handed to them?

You're on a computer. Did you bother to notice how many websites of recognized businesses have "career pages". Or can't the neojobless read anymore?

A wonderful family and fabulous representatives for our Nation to the rest of the World. It must really burn the wing-nuts and baggers out there that the Obamas foster such good will for America whereas George and Dick created such disdain and discord with other peoples abroad.

Ewent:

What planet?---my spouse worked many 80 hour weeks--and many others do as well--Ewent's comments make a President's job seem like fluff.

A President works 24 hrs. a day, and so do many Americans; especially parents.

This President just isn't doing his job of addressing the real problems that face Americans today. When is he going to start? After he loses the 1st Term in office for a real Change?

Approval ratings--were you contacted?

ewent- Great posts- Thank-You in your !.9 post you said everything I was thinking , but couldn't express, plus not a very good typist! Thumbs-up This story is uplifting and happy, but people want to bash our first family for doing the same things that ALL first families do, kind of sad.

Your "husband" worked 80 hours? You can't add honey. 5 days divided by 80 hours equals what? 16 hours multiplied by 5 days equals what? So your husband worked as many hours as this president. Just not with the same kind of pressure or obligations that could have worldwide effects.

If your husband had to work 80 hours a week, congratulate yourself. You were supported by a man who worked 10 hours more than the average 70 hour a week worker of today. If hubby worked 80 hours maybe he married a too high maintenance wifie most dependent?

Bush's approval ratings were worse. And, quite frankly, the truly intelligent already know you righties are about as desperate to get rid of this president as we are to force you to endure him for a second term. Hurts doesn't it toots? So no...I don't believe any polls until we all get into the voting booths. Not even your Koch billionaires or your Big Oil Big Daddahs can take away those voting rights, try as hell as they do.

humminbird...More of the whining about jobs is just 100% pure laziness. Think about it. The market crashed in 1929, took the life savings of innocent people. Did they sit back and do nothing? They built shacks and called them "Hoovervilles". They ate in soup kitchens and they criss-crossed the country taking jobs that today's lazy butts won't even consider and leave to the illegals to do for them.

It's affluenza. These loons don't mow their own lawns, trim the hedges, paint their homes or clean their own attics. But they want this president to be their personnel recruiter. All the while if he creates jobs, they'd be the first to complain he's bloated government. If he leaves it to the real culprits of Wall Street to top their atrocious greed and hoading fest, they claim he's doing nothing.

I've had just about enough of these lunatics beating up on this president. If they don't like majority rule, there's always North Korea and there's the door and I hope it hits them in the ass on their way out.

ewent:

Now you are really showing your "colors". Major responsibility of Leadership coming from the cerebral area-- was also called in to work weekends. I'm biting my tongue---no words for work involvement. G-d get a grip ewie.

I will not provide personal information to anyone over the internet as NCOH warns.. Let's leave it at that.

The Hockey Guy:

Correct. Ewent is BSing.

Hockey Guy...Oh puhlease..We all know what Bush was known for and work isn't one of them.

As for your information source, you are a liar. A barefaced baldfaced liar. Check out the recent NY papers in the parade section on the number of hours put in by presidents. Bush is at the lowest in that number.

I know you have a deep seated need to degrade this president because it hurts some male egos to have to admit he's probably your age and became president while you were playing Corporate Johnny Jump Up and got a pink slip. Boo hoo...

I don't have to impress anyone. And I always know my sources. Now...can yours stand up in a court of law? Or is this more Koch shills making big bucks to bash this president? How much do the Kochs pay these days to do their dirty work?

Hawaii2...I'm not showing any "colors" racist. I'm half Italian and half Romanian Gypsy by heritage and American by birth. But since yours was the last state to enter the union, I'm guessing you aren't so American.

I've paid my dues for 5 decades. 2 businesses I owned and ran for 17 years, 1 book published, 3,000 articles on the net and oh I taught at Rutgers without a college degree. 1 full-time and 2 part-time jobs. Oh and I'm not a hoale and I can do the hula better than you ever will having been taught by a royal Hawaiian. I know how to use illi illi and I know who King Kamehameha is and Queen Lil. So much for what you know.

No one expects you to put personal information on the net. My information is out there because I'm a published writer.

$50 million ???????? You must have heard that number from Michelle Bachman.

To be blunt, the media from Day 1 have taken tons of pics of the 1st family. There has never, ever been a shortage of pics and in fact the WH release most of it. In fact if you go to the Huffington Post they post weekly pics from inside the WH, out on the lawn, all the vacations, etc.

This president gets a great deal of boost from all this media attention on his young family. Contrast what is going on during this administration which is photo crazy to when Clinton was in office and literally did keep Chelsey out of the media almost to the fault.

Obama is shrewd to use his lovely young family to keep poll numbers at least from falling into the basement. This WH has its own PR studio unlike any other president has done in the past.

ewent:

You gotta love "Ewent". At least your comments are entertaining!

Assumptions are never good. Didn't you say Hawaii2 is Racist, because to disagree with President Obama is just that?

Nice tug of war on the "My president worked longer/played less golf" issue, team. Anyone got any independent sources to back up their claims, or are we just gonna decide this by whoever's diss is the loudest and most abusive? Really noble work we do here these days...

I found this POLITICO article ("Obama returns night-owl presidency", Jan, 14, 2009) that addresses this issue, but yall probably don't want to hear about it because you seem to be having more fun playing leapfrog -- how does the saying go, "Divided we stand, united we fall (wearing pantyhose two sizes too small...)" -- but it does show a contrast in work styles between Bush and Obama:

"Bush famously arrives at the Oval Office by dawn, leaves by 6 p.m. and goes to bed by 10 p.m. Dinners out are as rare as a lunar eclipse.

Obama, by contrast, stays up late. He holds conference calls with senior staff as late as 11 p.m., and often reads and writes past midnight. Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, he spent consecutive nights holed up in a Chicago hotel room, working on his speech until 2 a.m."

It doesn't matter, though. Its WAAAAY more fun to pick annyomous fights with strangers over the Net over who took more vacations/engaged in more diplomatic envoys than it is to try and actually find middle ground these days. I say let's dogpile on the wabbit! ("Dogpile on the wabbit! Dogpile on the wabbit!")

JoeB-460595

While I don't agree with O'Bama's decisions and leadership...

Who are you talking about? Nothing in the article or anywhere references a person named "O'Bama." Now, The First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Michelle Obama and her daughters are the focus of this article, and her husband, The President of United States Mr. Barack Obama has made decisions ON BEHALF of the people of the United States, and holds a leadership role in our government. Rep. Michelle Bachmann stated in her speech regarding her intention to run for the Presidency, that being a Liberal, she's not "one of those," so are far too many conservatives quick to dehumanize Americans - even to dehumanize and disrespect the President of the United States. This dehumanization and disrespect of Americans is near treasonous, and shows how little pride you have in yourself and the USA. Who cares what you think after those statements? Your statements prove that you care less for Americans, therefore you care less for America.

ignorant comment...Black folks having too much fun for you eh?

dsteinle...How about Boehner ante's up for all that tanning he gets? Hell, I'd settle for McConnell paying up for the pricey heart surgery he got last year in the country's best hospital at taxpayer expense.

Sure do those red staters who bilk the government for personal healthcare and then demand the rest of us pay for it.

Flash5...The Obamas are both millionaires. She from her law practice. You know any lawyers who aren't these days? He from his own days as a professor. Together their combined worth is $3.8 million. Not exactly the Koch, Trump, Bush, Romney or Huntsman league is it?

President and Mrs. Obama use their own money when traveling. They don't need yours. You'll nitpick at the president and ignore the Biggie Piggies who travel courtesy of their own private jets? How petty do you need to get?

ewent - had to go home and get my wades; after a while your BS just got to deep.

Boomer57...And of course a real wader in BS knows BS best, right?

Hey fedup, I guess cause there are the only black people that I know who travel to Africa using other people's money... No wait....

Im sorry I just Dont get it... i wanna reply... but to what?

Yay, can I play too?

Victim blaming occurs when the victim(s) of a crime, an accident, or
any type of abusive maltreatment are held entirely or partially responsible for
the transgressions committed against them. Blaming the victim has traditionally
emerged especially in racist and sexist forms.

(Gregory Meyerson and Michael Joseph Roberto, Fascism and the Crisis of
Pax Americana)

----

No one debates anymore, we just hold public shouting matches. No wonder the rich is eating our lunch.

This world is in so much debt because of Bush. This world was in debt before Obama became President. How about you live in the real world and take care of yourself. Things don't change overnight.

scorpian81, hows was the debt Bush's fault. You are one of those people who hear Mainstream Media talking points and Parrot them like you know something. The last year Bush was in Office his deficit was under 400 billion with a B...The first year Obama was in, the deficit soared to 1.45 trillion, (remember the shovel ready jobs that weren't there?) and now it is on it's way past 14.5 trillion with a T. Fiscal Years 2007, 2008 and 2009, Democrats controlled the budget. Bush vetoed their budgets and they kept passing continuing resolutions until BHO was inaugerated. Presently Obama is sending 150% of GDP and it darn well has nothing to do with George Bush. It's time for people like yoou to catch up to the truth because the lies have gone on long enough!

even if bush created the debt, that gives the obamas the right to spend freely and just put it on bush's tab??? how about some fiscal responsibility---starting right at the top??? tough times call for tough measures, just look at chris christie in jersey, he's got it on lock down now, trying to clean up decades of misspending...things don't change overnite, but they definatelyl don't change at all if you keep RUNNING UP THE TAB.

Dumbama is raising the debt over a trillion dollars for every year he has and will be in office. He has broke the bank like no other ever has.

Scorpion:

Enough of the old blaming Bush--he's been out of office for almost 3 years---it's over--the present President is Barack Obama. He now takes responsibility for all the woes he is dealing with.

Americans depend on the present President to do the job--

Crying like a baby about Bush is an insult to yourself.

History Lesson #101----we've moved on from "old Administrations". How about Richard Nixon--should we blame him?

So let's vote in a republican and watch the debt and deficits magically melt away.

/sarc/

Phony numbers & you know it Bubba! President Bush never included the costs of Iraq & Afganistan in his budget numbers!

scorpion81
This world is in so much debt because of Bush. This world was in debt before Obama became President. How about you live in the real world and take care of yourself. Things don't change overnight.

Nice and refreshing---very true also. Thanks for a quality post.

Casper352...Do the Big Oil boys live in the real world? Or is skanking the rest of us with 4 or 5 price gouges a year the real world? You make me laugh. CEO's pay $10,000 for toilet seats and you can deprive the First Lady and her daughters of a lousy vacation?

Typical right winger. Petty BS regurgitated through a monstrosity ideology that seeks to divide so we won't notice the BS underhanded price gouging and skanking around of those like the Koch Real World Tea Party Founders. Or the Texas Huntsmans who live large off the price gouging of the rest of us. Slam dunk pallie.

jennyp...Don't bet that Christie will get a second term. He's a Bush Republican who protects wealth. Wealth that doesn't hire, doesn't pay its regulation fair share of taxes and gets ten times the tax breaks the rest of us do. And all because they earn big bucks? BS. Why is earning more a reason to cut their taxes so the rest of us can pony up for ours And the taxes they don't pay?

Christie is a one termer and he knows it. He's a wannabee Noo Yawkah lawyer who pimps for big business just like the Big Arbusto Busted Big Oil Boi Bush.

Hawaii2...There's NEVER enough of blaming Bush. It's called accountability. You don't seriously think we will give the biggest failure Texas ever produced a free pass do you?

You don't seriously think if the shoe was on President Obama's foot you'd dare give him a free pass? Who do you think you're fooling?

People like you reserve all their own self-loathing to dump on this president. Now isn't it just a real shame he is smarter than any of you will EVER be? Isn't it a pity he is more than up to outsmarting the red stater haters?

wow doesn't anybody see the hypocrisy. Stay away from my kids, no photos no nothing except now. We are in campaign mode so let's trot the kids out for a photo op and score political points. It is all about politics.

Flash5...No foot in this mouth. But I can accommodate my size 5 in your nether regions any time you need it. You have a problem with AAF Or EEO? Then it's clear your real hatred of this president IS racism isn't it? How do you racists manage to think smart people won't notice that inbred racism? You lost the Civil War. No you can't have free labor from black people anymore and no you will never make this president look as stupid as you racists.

When Bush lied about the WMDs that never existed in Iraq to get his war for his military industrialists and that killed 3,000 US military and tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis, that's a mistake that is not as bad as a silly mistake of misannouncement? Got news for you. Christie in my state made the same mistake. Only he called the guy a "SGT" when he was a "LT".

This president isn't into creating his own language like Bush did. Whole books have been written about that Harvard MBA with the 2008 financial meltdown. But that was already Strike three. He busts up Arbusto Oil and then a Texass sports team. So naturally, the economy was next.

I agree. It's impossible to teach stupid. And in "certain" cases, it's not only impossible, it's inbred from one racist generation to the next.

Obviously you have some kind of kinko foot fettish if you think putting your foot in your mouth is the same as the pacifier those lazy McMommies use to shut their tender shoots up.

Still funny that people blame Obama for the debt and say it has grown under Obama. they still dont get that to fix the mess that was made under 8 years of Bush who came in with a Surplus it takes money to fix these things. if i go to your house. I can prob break a few things and piss on your rug. I bet hen I leave and someone new comes in you want the rug cleaned and things fixed. So the new person spends the money then you blame the new person for spending more money then the one who was breaking things and pissing on your rug. If Obama didnt act. The country would have bread lines. And thats from what Bus did. Its so hard for the right to get. So I think we should cut more money from education too!

Ah, the ol "Must be Affirmative Action" card. Why is it that if debating public policy is reduced down to a game of card throwing the only cards people ever mention is the race card? I thought standard decks had 52 cards; hell, even Magic: The Gathering requires more than just one card in the deck to setup their lands of make believe.

Let's ignore the fact that the biggest recipiants of "Affirmative Action" reliefs are white women ((Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination (pp. 206-212). New York: McGraw-Hill.), sorry white dudes; I guess that means if you're married to a white woman with a college degree chances are you just benefited from affirmative action) for a second and get to the beef behind the BS here: how the F@#K can you honestly claim with a straight face that your duly-elected president, the first African American editor of the Harvard Law Review, is somehow some shucking and jiving, know-nothing, hardluck case who only made it through one of the premiere universities in our country because of his color (half of which is whiter than a ream of paper) and NOT be playing a reverse racism card?

More to the point, if Obama got A's at Harvard and he's an "affirmative action" case, and Bush got C's at Yale -- getting in as a legacy canidate off his daddy's name (even was a member of the Skull and Bones Society) -- what exactly does that make him, yall?

Meanwhile, the rich is drinking our milkshakes and LAUGHING THEIR ASSES OFF!

Ewent:

You are the real Racist! You're obsessed with unproven racism of other people. It is blatantly clear in Ewent's postings.

Get a grip--out of control.

Hawaii2: You know what amazes me and I see it quite frequently, whenever something get screwed and in this case I am speaking about workplace issues, (Job projects) and no one can, or wants to correct the situation, they call in the expert black person, I see it all the time, I work in accounting, the books gets screwed up, they can't fix their screw ups, someone comes in, works "LONGEE" hours and finally everything balances, WHOA!!! they start treating that black accountant badly until the guy/gal gets fired or quits, now a re-hire, usually, someone younger and whiter, give it sometime, there will be another screw up..I am equating this to the treatment of President Obama, "EVERYONE" knows BUSH F***ed up, and they wanted him out, it took eight(8) years to screw things up, not recording debt e.g Prescription drugs, Tax cuts for the wealthy, 2 wars and other programs I cannot now recall, this is like keeping TWO(2) sets of BOOKS....no transparency, if any business kept two sets of books( you know what would happen to the principals of that business) Y'all want Obama to perform miracles in 2 1/2 years, actually, I think he did perform some miraculous feats, the thing I blame the Democrats for is not doing like the Republicans and shouting every little bullsh*t from the rooftops, taking out expensive ads to show some bullsh*t accomplishment that does nothing for people lives.. while pretending to be for the people when they are working for the wealthy and corporations, the GOP is full of crap.

Don't kid yourself -- WE ARE paying for this...Hey -- I believe in summer vacations but they're from Chicago -- what's wrong with visiting the sites in the DC area which includes Maryland and Virginia. If they're already 'bored' with DC --there's Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Water Country, Baltimore Aquarium, Inner Harbor, Lurey Caverns -- the list goes on. I'd feel a lot better if my hard earned taxpayer dollars were being spent within our country! THEY RICH and can afford to make these trips when they're civilians and on their own again!

When Bush was president or any of past presidents didnt use taxpayer dollars to do things for this country, and nobody was complaining. When a black man become everybody got something to say and want to start complaining about what he doing and not doing. Thats why we are where we are now because of Bush.

I was just waiting for someone to play the race card and it didn't take long either!

There is no such thing as the race card that would imply that there is some paranoia involved and people really dont hate you because of the color of your skin. This magic "Card was invented by right wingers to easily dismiss well founded charges of racism. It Does not exist among actual people of color

scorpion...are you absolutely sure that white presidents have not been criticized for wasting taxpayers money? Sounds like YOU are the whiney racist here.

Nice sparklystar!! the Ole false equivalency tactic!! Accuse the accuser!! Blame the victim..Straight out of the racist playbook!

SparklyStar...No White President was criticized from the minute he was elected with as much ferocity as this particular president. Not even the biggest right wing failure neocon of all...GWB.

You got an excuse for nitpicking this president apart since the day he took office? Or is it that racists are hot to make sure this president goes down like those the KKK lynched while other whites cheered? Sorry we don't have a flag with stars and bars. Nor is Robert E. Lee anything but a coward and as for Jeffie Davis, he was a traitor who should have been hung.

fed and ewent...I am NOT criticizing Obama..show me a post where I am. I'm criticizing people like you for turning a political debate into a racist name calling rant. The Bush approval rating when he took office was lower than Obama's approval when he first took office and Clinton won the presidency with only 43% of the American voters casting their votes for him. Sounds like the majority of the people didn't like the white guys either. It's the nature of the American voter. It is also the nature of the uneducated Obama supporter to call his opponents racist.

BTW...I am an Obama supporter. I voted for him and chances are I will vote for him again....I don't see anyone else worth voting for coming out in the near future. The fact that you accused me of racism and not being an Obama supported only proves my point.....you read between the lines and assume.

Fed...and that's your response to my point about white president's not being cirticized? How childish...you debate like a 15 yr. old who has not taken any kind of a political or history class. I owuld say YOU are the one using the false equivalency tactic.

The nature of the uneducated obama supporter?.....Is this an official group? you do remember the Tea party rallies complete with black face signs, Glenn Beck, all of Fox Noise..Newt gingrich Kenya comments ,Republicans emailing Chimp obama pictures, Eric bolling Hizzouse comments, all of this hub bub any time the family decides to travel... I think the material is there to draw a pretty strong conclusion about nature of this constant criticism...not all of it race based but the majorirty of it is. IM SORRY BUT WHEN I HEAR UNEDUCATED OBAMA SUPPORTER ....conclusions can be drawn from that statement as well

BTW you cant say i debate like 15 year old then misspell a word right after!

Fed go to the rallies and call those people racist..the obvious ones. But you came on a message board and read between the lines of my post....calling ME of being racist when it is obvious that scorpion is the one blatantly making racist statements...no need to read between the lines of scorpion's post.

BTW you cant say i debate like 15 year old then misspell a word right after!

That comment is indeed something a 15 yr old would use when the argument they are making loses steam. I can almost hear "neener neener neener" coming from you followed by a raspberry.

What do you call the protestors that drew comparisons to hitler and bush? Or a chimpanzee and bush? That definitely had to come from the left and I certainly don't assume that YOU are one of those simply because you are on a message board criticizing people who do not support obama. Again, it has to do with educated vs. uneducated. I stand by my comment "uneducated obama supported"

Fed...BTW to you also...you still have not shown me a post where I criticized Obama.

So ..with your permission.... i am only allowed to call "obvious racism" racism... i see.....I was merely highlighting your use of the widely used tactic of referring to the accuser as the actual racist. i believe your 'Mature" response was to call scorpion a "whiney racist"...thats where i chimed in.. maybe if you had used actual facts to debate his point instead of " Hey the white guy went through the same thing" i would have at that point debated the facts you presented. I find it intellectually dishonest of you to compare the criticism of Bush and Obama. The majority of the critcism and "mean things" that were said about bush had to do with his intellectual capacity or lack thereof. The statements i made in previous post (which were completely ignored) are rock solid examples of good old fashioned, down home, racism. I have my own criticisms of President obama as well that are based on policy, but i will defend our president from unpatriotic comments where i see them racist or not. because i believe he is the best president we have had since clinton (based on policy not race). Please stop insulting my intelligence.

BTW i think you meant uneducated Obama supportER

LOL@ neener neeneer neener followed by raspberry- Priceless

:)

Made ya laugh

Yeah you got me :)

Fed...read my post again...I ASKED scorpion if he is sure the white president's didn't go through the same thing. Bush being called a Nazi was not a criticism of his intellect. And, his being called a chimp was a direct attack on his physical appearance. Did you never see the pictures of him being compared to a chimp? Clinton was attacked for his physical appearance as well..you don't recall the big red nose pictures? How about the fact that he ate junk food and was overweight? Or, attacking his daughter’s physical appearance. None of that criticism had anything to do with his political policies. Attacking the president on that level is the American way. Is it right? No Is it new? No

I still stand by my opinion that ALL presidents are attacked and criticized on a personal level. You however, seem to think that only Obama is...unrealistic of you to say the least.

Sparklystar, I have seen the "Bush Chimp" and "Bush Nazi" posters and agree they were both nasty and unfair. Neither president should be characterized in that manner; it demeans both the man and the office, both of which we should show some measure of respect, like them personally or not.

The only difference I can offer here, though, is our long and well-documented history of caricaturing blacks as proto-humans/apes/chimps. Afterall, we do get the term "monkeyshines" from the stereotype that blacks shuck and jive around like a wayward monkey going about its day, or the still-so-funny (*sarcasm*) "King Kong's a black slavery/noble savage analogy".

I'm thinking that's why blacks/African-Americans get so upset when we see such portrayals of the president dimissed as tit for tat by his critics; there really isn't any long-held counter standard of assininity used against whites. I guess that's one of those mythological white privileges you hear so much about.

Oh, BTW, the other cannard I just find precious is the "Obama the Food Stamp President" meme. Nope, no coded language there. Forget for a second that, again, whites makes up the majority of social welfare recipiants, and have been so since the New Deal when such programs were exclusively designed to uphold the white middle class -- hence the programs' popularity up until the Civil Rights era when minorities began to benefit from the same safety nets; forget, too, that whole Welfare Reform Act passed under Clinton which virtually ended the reigns of Reagan's fictionalized "urban" Welfare Queens. I'm curious if the fact that more and more middle class families of all colors are without sustaining incomes and therefore are relying on social welfare to feed themselves due to that pesky ol' global inflated housing value bubble bursting has anything to do with this recent environment of social need? Just spitballing here.

Bush had his home/ranch in Texas/and his father's vacation home in Kennebunkport, Maine. He also used Camp David for vacations and business.

How many times has our present President used Camp David for serious thought and planning, or just to relax. It is for the President of the US--Exotic places and Europe are much more exciting and "cultural".

Bush did not feel the need to take all the vacations to sight see and meet with unrelated Leaders of other Countries who meant nothing to the US---

The Queen of England/family for pure pleasure---bah hum bug.

queen...excuses, excuses, excuses....whine, whine, whine...Do the poor people in Appalachia know there's a recession? Do they moan and groan over their plight day in and day out?

Please...spare us the pathetic excuses of those suffering from affluenza.

Just like it has been done for every president before. So be quiet and man up.

Only those who can't get over the fact that this man has done agreat job and is a family man. not sweating the small stuff. Perhaps if you'd let good things continue to happpen, you wouldn't be so bitter.

You aren't the only one who work. I've paid taxes and more than my share to benefit others. Thank God you have ajob.

jeff...A daycare Generation twerp works? Gee you could fool me. The work ethic they know best is Mondays and Fridays off so they can party their weekends away and then do about 25 out of 40 hours worth of work so they can spend their "free time" texting. This is the shining Know It All bunch who have answers for anything that doesn't make them break a sweat or get those tender little patties dirty.

As for that ass you worked off, look behind you.

Denise...Do you for a single minute think that a member of the gun toting International White Supremacists league wouldn't take either one of those girls out if they had the chance? Thank God for our Secret Service.

Now there's a rub that must cause the IWS blisters. This president has to have the same Secret Service protection that their white presidents received. In their twisted evil racist minds, there isn't a one of them who wouldn't take the opportunity.

I cannot imagine such evil hatred in the minds of these nut jobs. They belong in mental hospitals.

And I'm sure you and your family look like the Beckhams?!

Again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I never said my family was beautiful like the Beckhams, YOU DID! My family is of average looks IMO. However, I was once told I was gorgeous, but again that was that person's opinion, not mine. Just because you think the Obama family is attractive does not mean we all have to agree with you. BTW, your comment sounds like something said on a playground by children playing the psychological game of one up.

realist..if you were once told you were gorgeous, then your beauty is only skin deep....shame.

Realist...When you have a gorgeous soul, that's all that matters...all that infinity without no real resting in peace after you die is a tough one.

Realist-502574 I think you are also a sac o' style.

realist, Everyone is gorgeous at closing time. You've only been to the bar once?

chuckles with sally

Mr. Obama goes by the motto, as most of our politicians do of, "Do as I say, not as I do."

Can you prove that. We say things a lot of times due to our emotions but if we would honor our own selves and do what we should by living within our means, then perhaps one day we can take a "field trip".

Jeff...You aren't old enough to understand the rationale. If you were, you'd know that every president's wife is expected to do her job which is good will trips to other countries. Jackie Kenney chose France. Laura Adora chose Ireland. Many of the First Ladies of the past served as good will ambassadors.

No American expects the First Lady to be a charwoman. Those who expect this First Lady to be any different than any other First Lady have their personal problems dealing with the race issue and they are too cowardly to man up.

How do you dare have the gall to mention the cost of this trip when Nancy Reagan in the middle of Reagan's Recession bought $200,000 worth of White House China with her husband's logo on it. $200,000 for dishes? When thousands of people were out of jobs? When the price of gas was out of sight?

Tell your corporate republicans to vote on raising the debt ceiling and stop being obstructionists for the sake of more tax cuts for the wealthy. this other bs about the vacation is a sideshow... meaningless except for those little girls grow up!! the money spent on this trip is a drop in the bucket....please somebody be man or woman enough on this board to say what is really bothering you

Fedup...Any day now the rest of the country is going to see the implications of handing out those tax credits and tax breaks like candy to the wealthiest 1%.

The reality is we don't need tax increases. We need the rich to pay the taxes for their income brackets. They don't. That's why there's never enough money in the treasury to cover the bills, some of which are more bogus privatized corporation vendors gaming the system.

Anyone with only half their senses can figure out the huge loss of revenue when those who earn the most pay the least. It's long past time to end tax credits for the rich, tax breaks and unnecessary subsidies for Corporate America and an investigation into banking practices.

This is why the right hates this president. He wants reforms that would raise red flags in the greedhead world and they fear the loss of that Gravy Train of obscene profits they can only get by price gouging away.

So many ignorants or rabid racists...or both.

Every president has done it, it comes with the job; so either you are a bunch of ignorant Americans that don't know your own country or a bunch of racists trying to pick on the black president.

In Africa??? That being the case, why don't YOU fund the trip? WE can not afford these trips SHE keeps taking!

Calm down Karen, I was being sarcastic about a family reunion. I agree with you.

Karen, do you honestly believe you are paying for this trip and any others?

Karen if you pay taxes you are funding the trip. Where exactly do you think the money comes from for any trips the First Family takes?

The Obamas dont need any money from any of you losers on this board. You all act as if they were homeless bums before they became the first family...(Buzzer sound) wrong!! No mention of the Bush Tax cuts for the wealthy now there is money well spent!! lets keep giving millions to millionaires and blame the first family vacation schedule for all of our troubles. Didnt the corporate republicans promise all of you jobs and economic prosperity during the midterms??.....IM STILL WAITING.......all i see is obstructionism and loyalty to their corporate masters

Sorry Karen, I meant Shelly..Do you pay any taxes?

racists

Your assumption that the Obama's paid for this trip and the security detail that went along would be (Buzzer sound)wrong!

I've got to wonder.......now that they have "paraded" their children onto the grand stage does this allow them to be targets like the Palin children? Wasn't that the claim of the loony left? They deserved it because their mother took them along?

Your assumption that that was my assumption is incorrect (Buzzer sound) i was merely making the point that they are not using the office of the presidency to enjoy the all the spoils of life that was beyond their reach in civilian life. Palin seeks the media spotlight and uses her chlidren to promote her own brand. so no comparison there. If you read the article it clearly states that the obamas have gone to great lengths to shield their chlidren from hate filled crap like most of the comments on this board.

You are incorrect concerning Palin and her children. Merely bringing her children onstage and showing her family was not "promoting her own brand" except in the eyes of the hate filled loons. Sure, they don't want people targeting their children, neither do the Palins. Children don't deserve to be vilified, so why does the left think it's ok to do it to Palin?

Bush cut taxes across the board.

The Obamas dont need any money from any of you losers on this board

So why didn't they pay for this little "back to roots" junket on their own? We have already paid for one family trip to Europe (that I remember off the top of my head) this year. How many multi-million dollar tax paid vacations does she and children need in a six month period?

Doug Ponders ...Oh come off it. Palin's a Repbulican...so anything the Tundra Tootsie does is perfectly dandy but how dare Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama or Nancy Pelosi do it?

When Bush cut taxes 2 times in his 8 years, the GAO reported an 11% increase in wealth in the 1% in 2005. What was the increase when Bush rolled out the second round of tax credits in 2008?

Asses sewed to faces generally do miff their words when truth is so hard to swallow.

Let me see if I understand you correctly.

Because Palin is Republican it is ok to hate on her children.

Because you are not smart enough to make money then it is your perception that Bush did not cut taxes across the board. Ignoring the truth.

Typical left wing loon living in la-la land.

As soon as one of the Obama girls get's knocked up then hits every TV show she can with her baby in tow looking for the paycheck, there will be no difference. As soon as one of the Obama girls goes on dancing with the stars and says they want to give the county a "big old F you" there will be no difference. As soon as the Obama girls get on Facebook and start posting as if they are sailors in a whore house, there will be no difference. As soon as the President and First Lady put their kids on a reality show looking for another paycheck, there will be no difference. As soon as Michelle Obama takes a bus tour and babbles made up American History with her kids in tow, there will be no difference. Until then, Bible Spice the media and money whore and her darling little foul mouthed money whore daughter are not even close to being in the same league with the Obama girls.

"Everything dat guy just said is Bullsh*T"- Vincent Gambini My cousin Vinny

Sally

And before DWS?

You prove my point. The left is hypocritical loons with nothing but partisan hackery bordering on lunacy to support their opinion.

Obama "wrote" books (most bought by Soros) touting his ascension to greatness. He photo-ops his kids all the time. He speaks of "family values". He stood onstage with his kids as props. Michelle holds them up as perfect examples. Bristol is the epitome of the spirit of Americana. No handouts and take a situation and make the best of it. Don't whine over it and think everyone should feel sorry for you. The left is jealous. In a word....pathetic.

Michelle's "version" of American history for you.

"For the first time I am proud of my country".

You go girl.

Bristol is the epitome of the spirit of Americana.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. That anyone would seriously think Bristol Palin is the epitome of anything makes me fear for the future.

But you're right. Michelle and the girls should just stay in the house all day. Clearly you have no idea of the role of First Lady.

This was my first thought, why are we picking up the tab on vacations to see the world! Enough already!

I'm so tired of all of you petty, racist, ignorant, pathetic creatures. You probably have nothing good to say about Black people period. Just because you have to work and can't afford a vacation does not mean that people who can should not. Presidents and their families travel all the time, but for some reason the Obamas are not worthy. I wonder why? It's ok for all of the good ole boys to rape the country of its wealth and play you for a fool while you follow them blindly, smiling all the way to the poor house. You're so busy watching and criticizing the POTUS and his family that behind your backs, your rights are being sucked away, and you're worried about too much spending. Big Brother is watching you has nothing to do with the deficit. You need to pay attention to what is going on and stop being the loathsome people that you are. Maybe then some blessings will come your way. Peace

Beautifully stated

Vicky...and I am tired of people being called racist because they criticize this president. Since when are we not able to criticize our president? Being careful NOT to criticize him because of his race is racist. And, can you honestly say that prior presidents were not criticized? Do you honestly believe that Obama is the only president that has been criticized for traveling?

You call others "loathsome" but your entire post is bitter, mean and "loathsome". Peace

Racism and pathetic creatures have nothing to do with the fact that the Obamas are spending this country into bankruptcy.

redhawk...They are paying for it on their dime. You want proof? All you have to do is go to the government website for the expense report. You'll be proven wrong. This president outwits his naysayers every time.

Knowing the racists want a piece of him means he has to stay one step ahead. Something Mr. Swagger Swagger Boom Boom of Crawford never had to do. So this president isn't about the allow the lowlifes in this country to make a claim they are paying for his wife's trips.

Unfortunately for the President's bashers, they've been outwitted yet again and will continue to be. Right now, this president has those sad sack do nothing Republican bashers looking like sheep in boy's clothing.

mike...Only this president spent the country into bankruptcy? Or was it started before he ever took office? Like with Reagan's Trickle Down that only trickles up? And with Bush 41's Kinder Gentler to Corporate America regime or was it that $3.2 trillion the Iraq war cost and was conveniently omitted in 2008 from the Bush budget? Iraq...No Mission Ever Accomplished. No child left behind...another failure..forget Hurricane Katrina and the 4 -day delay with Americans on rooftops begging for help they never got, how about his Nanny Meiers debacle with the Supreme Court? Or the Gonzalez resignation from the Justice Department for politicizing it?

How about you guys man up and admit you elected to office an 8 year failure?

sparklystar...It's racism when you don't even give a president a chance and start from his first day in office to pick him apart. You got another excuse or do you want to call that kind of meanspirited criticism "rash"?

ewent...Bush was criticized from day one. ALL presidents are criticized from day one by the losing party's constituents. Meanspirited and racist are two completely different aspects of the human nature. Calling people racist for criticizing our president is meanspirited.

Bush began his presidency with ratings near 50%, that's means more than 50% of the people didn't like him in the beginning. It's part of life in America.

Clinton's approval rating was only slightly over 50% when he took office, interestingly enough, he won his first election by only 43% of the voters voting for him. That means 57% of the american people didn't want him as president. Once he took office, again, nearly 50% of the people did not approve of his policies. Where's the racism? Obama is right up there with Clinton and Bush. I like Obama, but I think that people who don't like him are just his political opponents, not racists.

Like all other presidents haven't done this. Bush wasn't on hand HERE when we needed him.

During the entire 8 years of the Bush Presidency -- that Administration didn't go on HALF of the 'trips' this administration has gone on and they aren't even finish with 1 term....Like it or not -- the Bushes were a bit more respectful when it came to spending tax payer dollars...Dinner and a play in NY -- THAT wouldn't have happened during a Bush Administration -- Dinner in DC was just fine.

President Bush is the one who messed up the economy by his stupid decisions. If Bush was more respectful and using logical and rational thinking when it came to spending tax payer dollars this country would not be in debt.

Karen,

Bush was gone a LOT, secondly, just because the Bushes didn't see the value in visiting other places, doesn't mean everyone should feel the same way. Part of the reason so many other countries came to despise the US during his term and dislike him, in particular, was the projection of an attitude that the US in the only thing of value in the world.

As for dinner and a play, be happy you have a President and wife who love each other and want to spend time together. That's the type of example our young people need. Seems to many 'conservatives' promote 'family values' unless its the Obama's who are demonstrating them.

Spoken like a true Obamanite..........keep drinking the Kool Aid

Karen, in the first year and a half of his presidency, Bush was on vacation for 96 days. Obama in that same time frame took 36 days of vacation.

I don't see where you are getting your numbers from. Looks like from out of your ass.

AP...What I noticed was when the Bush girls partied hardy in TX, drunker than dockside harlots, not a word was mentioned in TX papers or media about it. When they tried that in NY City, it was in every paper and media on the East Coast. A strong lesson in coverups ...yet again.

Momma Dukes...Not much goin' on in Dog Patch to keep us laughing. You bet we support our president. Only traitors who claim they are Americans don't. That's because their flag isn't red, white and blue...it's green $$$$$ and gold$$$$$.

You're kidding right? You DO realize WE ARE paying for this along with the secret service jet fuel etc etc.....right?

They love our country way too much to even consider making us pay for this.

Karen, you are not in the White House. You was not present during the time that the Obama's was paying for the trip. So therefore you don't know with what money the trip was paid out of. Bottom line we can't say if it was paid out of tax payers money or their personal account.

scorpion: I promise; if you have a job and pay taxes, you paid for their trip just like all other tax payers. It's a joke.

And neither are you scorpion. And just where did you get your education? "You was not"? Did you mean "You were not"? In addition to all of your other grammatical errors. Says a lot about your intelligence.

Realist-502574 You right i wasn't so therefore i don't complain. You shouldn't either. Everyone makes errors and/or mistakes. GROW UP! Just because i made an error has nothing to do with my education idiot nor my intelligence. You are not perfect yourself.

Brewzky23-

I have a job and pay taxes. All im saying is we don't know with what money the trip was paid with. So, therefore since we don't know why complain.

Karen...I'm sure YOU and only YOU are paying for this trip. Okay. Satified now? You can go back to that famous tune all Daycare Generations Twerps sings out of tune by the way, "me, me, me, me......" That's after they run home so McMommie and Mcdaddie can overindulge them more.

first of all learn hoe to speel and you people are disgraceful just be real and say that you dont agree with the first family because of their race. Bush was a terrilble president and he took trips all over also he wa son vacation when 9-11 occured so all of you need to shut up and make a comment when a comment is needed . Obama is trying to clean up the mess that BUSH left remember OBAMA didnt create these problems BUSH did!!!!!!Atleast he will eb bringing home our troops BUSH didnt care if they ever came home he was all about money.I didnt ssee anyone bashing him for being frinds with the terrorist affiliates!!!! And as far as the the first family children ,grow up they have nothing to do with anything I dont think any of you would appreciate these type of comments about your children.Michelle Obama is great, I never saw first lady BUSH even show any type of caring attitude toward the US!!!!!!BUSH spent our tax money to send his daughters to rehab, any comment about that? Of course learn your history then talk.STOP BEING SOOOO....DUMB TO THE FACT BUSH THAT BUSH SUCKED AS PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

incompetant foriegner in office to start with

Your ignorance is showing. What will it take for people like you to stop looking like ignoramuses even after proof in the form of a birth certificate is produced??

And it should not have taken that.

Did you ask for Arnolds?

I like it better when he's not working on solutions or asking someone else to, then reading what they tell him. From now until election time the only things he is going to do will be very well orchestrated photo ops, empty speeches, and other minutia to garner votes.

Where were you? In the lining of the pocket of the writer?

Bubba...And you know for certain that's what the President is thinking. Let me guess...you know because after all isn't that the predictable behavior of a bi-racial man and the first Black First lady? Isn't that what the KKK and IWS always do? Assume they can read the minds of black people? Assume what a black is or isn't going to do?

Who's working out there in the hot sun in that plantation? Bet it's all FREE labor.

Having an opinion about our president being wastefull is not hating, so SHUT UP stacey!

Well, you can speak so loudly that no one who really matter, can here what you're saying.

Realist ..Inasmuch as Bush is far guiltier of wasteful spending, you can stash that Plantation mentality. The South isn't ever going to rise again. You can't exchange the stars and stripes for that ass wipe stars and bars flag and no you can't have free labor to run your plantations.

Timothy, The obamys are all about the obamys and that is it!