Michelle Antoinette's European Vacation

[ISASO]

Is a $178,000 flight and the occupation of 60 rooms in Spain a PR nightmare for the Obama's (and by extension Democrats in general)?

Dr. Charles Krauthammer thinks so. He said it is born of arrogance, a sense of entitlement and shows that they had to know there would be some backlash but simply don't care.

[wsushox1]

Re: Michelle Antoinette's European Vacation

Is a $178,000 flight and the occupation of 60 rooms in Spain a PR nightmare for the Obama's (and by extension Democrats in general)?

Dr. Charles Krauthammer thinks so. He said it is born of arrogance, a sense of entitlement and shows that they had to know there would be some backlash but simply don't care.

You do realize that Only Obama's Vacations are paid for and that he must pay for his wife's and or childrens. At least that is what I was told in School.

[wu_shizzle]

Re: Michelle Antoinette's European Vacation

Is a $178,000 flight and the occupation of 60 rooms in Spain a PR nightmare for the Obama's (and by extension Democrats in general)?

Dr. Charles Krauthammer thinks so. He said it is born of arrogance, a sense of entitlement and shows that they had to know there would be some backlash but simply don't care.

You do realize that Only Obama's Vacations are paid for and that he must pay for his wife's and or childrens. At least that is what I was told in School.

But the taxpayers are paying for security detail and other "incidentals".

[1979Shocker]

I think the only costs that are above the normal costs are what it costs for the flight.

The security costs would remain the same whether they stayed at home or went abroad.

Of course, I don't know if the security agents get some kind of per diem when traveling abroad. If they do, that would increase the cost.

[Maggie]

Michelle Obama deserves to go away on vacation just like everyone else – she doesn’t have to sequester herself in the White House or America for that matter. The security expenses, etc. associated with her travel is not that big of a deal to me – it is part of the package.

But the Good Doctor is correct – the optic is bad and a puzzling call by the so-called media savvy White House staff. I sort of interpreted Mrs. Obama’s past statements, e.g. never having been proud of her country until her husband’s election, the country is mean, etc. as a way of saying the country’s elite (of which she claimed not to be a part) had created one nation for themselves and quite a different for most others (sort of a two nations Edwards deal). I guess I was wrong; maybe the following is more accurate: Her prior angst arose not because millions were not able to share the lifestyles of the elite but that she herself had not yet quite partaken in the sort of life she felt she deserved - which she is now apparently enjoying to the fullest. The fact that her trip coincides with hard times here at home, makes it all the more weird, both for her administration’s equality-of-result politics and for the larger liberal narrative of talking truth to power.

I just wonder what the MSM will do now. That sycophantic bunch has a long and healthy tradition of trashing the slightest hint of aristocratic enjoyment on the part of first ladies. I suppose just as golf, around winter 2009, ceased to be an aristocratic distraction from the nation’s pressing problems, so too luxury on the Mediterranean must be a sort of federal employee’s deserved state vacation.

Personally, I don’t really care. I hope she has (had – is she back, yet?) a swell time.

[shockall]

The security costs would remain the same whether they stayed at home or went abroad.

I guess you didn't notice the two "special" SUV vehicles flown over for her use. That takes a second airplane and crew which is also at taxpayer expense. This by no means was a cheap ticket for us taxpayers, and the true costs will probably never be known.

[ISASO]

Re: Michelle Antoinette's European Vacation

Is a $178,000 flight and the occupation of 60 rooms in Spain a PR nightmare for the Obama's (and by extension Democrats in general)?

Dr. Charles Krauthammer thinks so. He said it is born of arrogance, a sense of entitlement and shows that they had to know there would be some backlash but simply don't care.

You do realize that Only Obama's Vacations are paid for and that he must pay for his wife's and or childrens. At least that is what I was told in School.

Yes, I did realize that, which is why I posted Dr. Krauthammers thoughts. He talked of the costs with small amount of disgust, but it was the hypocrisy that he went off on.

Fortunately, some of the other posters here "got it". Carry on.