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Obama's Stressful Vacation
Presidents don't really get weeks off. Despite his best efforts, President Obama's vacation on Martha's Vineyard wasn't too relaxing, The Washington Post writes. Sure, according to spokesman Bill Burton, Obama "was talking as much trash as he usually does" on basketball court and golf course. But the week wasn't all helmet-less family bike rides along the Aquinnah beach, accompanied by cadres of bare-headed Secret Service agents. The island paradise also served as an incongruous backdrop as Obama reappointed Ben Bernanke as chair of the Federal Reserve. But it was something Obama couldn't control—Ted Kennedy's death—that really put a somber pall over the intended week of fun. Nothing spoils the free and breezy mood like eulogizing a friend and colleague, as Obama will on Saturday, before returning to Blue Heron Farm for one last night.
Garrison
Obama hasn't taken weekly vacations like Dooffus Shrub, nor spent his vacation sneaking around stinking drunk.
Obama seems to actually care about his fellow Americans and is NOT sociopathic nor pained by trivial criticism.
Thanks Barack, for all you do.
Plantagenet
Obama doesn't take weekly vacations....he takes vacations from his vacations. The Washington Post reports that Obama plans to spend the next week taking another vacation at Camp David because, as his aide Burton says, "Obama needs a break from his vacation."
AlanD2
Plantagenet: What we really need is a permanent vacation from you.
Plantagenet
The Washington Post reports that Obama's own staff say BO is going to Camp David take a vacation from his vacation on Martha's Vineyard.
I'm sure all of us have felt sometimes that we need a vacation from our family vacations. Hoo-RAY for Obama for actually kicking back and taking that second vacation!
nortonclybourn
Nice knee-jerk reflex to this non-story. I admired Bush's vacations because he spent them doing what he was really good at--clearing brush. Unfortunately, we were paying him to be a chief executive. With Obama, whatever you think about his policies, we are getting our money's worth
unclelew
According to CBS's count, never disputed, your rootin' tootin, war dodging hero George Bush spent 487 days at Camp David and 490 days at Crawford. One can only imagine how much better off the country would have been had he spent the remaining two-thirds of his regime on vacation.
democracyforall
I wish Doofus Obamer would take even more vacations!
bobj72
You obviously weren't raised, under that old "The common decency standard"; "If you can't say something nice (or non-acerbic) ... just say nothing at all."
nortonclybourn
I think the standard that applies is, "If you have nothing to say, say nothing at all."
DocHumboldt
The quote is: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". It's Thumper's Mom's advice to Thumper. From the Disney movie, Bambi.
Joanne38
Are you dreaming of what could be? Your Obama is living it up and could care less about you or anyone else. Heck, wake up already. You don't have to defend him still. You undoubtedly are not out seeing the damage this crook is doing. He is not going to give you anything. Don't you see that by now? Those were just promises to get you to elect him. He is smearing everything he is enjoying in your face.
DocHumboldt
And, as usual, you're demanding what isn't.
AuntBarb
President Obama, put that bike helmet on !! We need your skull in one piece, because you've got a lot of work to do !!
Everybody should wear a helmet when riding a bike. Everybody.
Garrison
Yessum, Auntie Barb.
I'll click my heels three times and say, "I wish I was in America, I wish I was in America, I wish I was in America."
wolverine1987
Anyone who criticizes Obama for not wearing a helmet is an idiot. Anyone.
AlanD2
Count me as an idiot, then. Not wearing a helmet on a bike is like not using a seat belt in a car.
democracyforall
I know someone who is comatose because she didn't wear a helmet on a bicycle.
ThinkAgain
Wolverine1987 Defending him for something like this is as least as idiotic as criticizing him for it.
Eykis121
Rethugs would criticize POTUS for his brand of toothpaste if they knew what brand he uses. Racists and haters. I am worn out by all of their garbage this year.
verycold
My suggestion to the president would be to re-consider taking a vacation in a tourist location and instead opt for a location with much more seclusion. I can think of many such locations. He did this to himself.
Equally anybody with half a brain knew that if Ted did not attend his sister's funeral he was himself getting ready to die as well. It seems ludicrous to think that Obama could ring Ted up to have a chat while on vacation. My mother died of brain cancer btw, so I know of what I am speaking about. Ted lived much longer than expected.
The helmet issue is his choice. I personally would not wear a helmet to bike - never have never will, and yet I wear one daily while training horses. See...humans are full of contradictions.
matthewbenzor
Now that I am looking at the "BIG PICTURE" President Obama,"took up" the healthcare fight, for Ted and his dream of healthcare for all americans which is much needed.
squiggy
Perhaps he can work off some tension cutting "bush"! LOL Physical labor relieves stress. Maybe that's why the elites are a bit "quirky."
anghiari
Who writes these snarky intros? So tired of these so-called journalists always seeming to be negotiating their contracts by demonstrating the highest ratio of trash talk to fact in the DB. No respect for anyone or anything less it impact the flow of the audience to the website. Tina Brown, you give Wintour a run for her mirror mirror on the wall!
flyoverland
The opulence of this vacation was a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who had to tell their families they couldn't afford one this year.
drevilo
Class "warfare" is not needed. Vacations can be taken at home for those without "loot." Why bring in such childish talk about a guy with a tough job taking a few days to relax. Hey, he is no my favorite guy, but he is my President and needs to kick back and rethink his horrendous Health care plan.
flyoverland
Sure, telling the kids the living room is really the lobby of the Waldorf really works. Let them eat cake. You are probably also in favor of congress getting its own special healthcare system.
Eykis121
Leave the vacation out. There is nothing this man can do that will satisfy you Rethugs. Give it a rest already.
I'm making 1/3 of my salary due to the economy and cannot afford health insurance. The fact that Obama is on vacation does not bother me one iota nor should it bother you. BTW, what day was he actually OFF WORK? Name one, whiner and loser, Rethug.
flyoverland
Rethug? I don't belong to a union.
Plantagenet
Blaming republicans for what Obama does on vacation and what the newspapers report about it is silly. The Washington Post is a liberal democratic paper. When Obama goes on vacation after vacation, the WaPo reports on it because it is news.
The Republicans have absolutely nothing to do Obama's decicsion to go to a $30,000 per week beachside mansion for his vacation, or BO's decision to take a second vacation immediately after his first vacation, or what the Washington Post prints about Obama and his serial vacationing. These are Obama's own decisions.
DocHumboldt
Where exactly is "Fly Over Land"? I've tried to find it on the map. And why don't people there take vacations?
AlanD2
DocHumboldt: That's where a fly is when it is not flying over water.
ThinkAgain
Just because he's at a vacation spot doesn't mean he's actually vacationing. It could be a master plot.....
Suggesting that Kennedy's death has ruined his vacation is tacky, we shouldn't make light of the loss a true friend would feel.
maryfrost2
Obama could have made a big impression on us all if he would have given that 35,000 he paid for one week on Cap Cod to the poor families that NEVER get a vacation. He needs to review some of his speeches, where he said that WE ALL NEED TO SACRIFICE. I'm still wondering what he meant when he said that "words have meaning".
Eykis121
Mary, you need to get a clue. Obama has been under the GOPer crap since the day he was elected. WHY don't you get on the bandwagon and start denouncing the racism and violence spewed by Rethugs 24/7, on teevee, on the Internet and at Town Halls. Why don't you sacrifice? The President cannot go stay at the local Motel 6 - although I know that is EXACTLY where you Rethugs think he belongs - pigs at the trough - you are right there.
Plantagenet
Relax. Cool it with the personal attacks. People are just chatting here. Relax.
DocHumboldt
When was the last time you gave a dollar (or two) to a guy with a sign on the street? Really. Or did you tell them to "get a job", just because you thought it would be funny to your pals?
I'm wondering why you can't spell "Cape".
AlanD2
Mary: What about the wealthy who spend $11,000 a night (That's $77,000 a week) when staying at exclusive hotels?
I would like to encourage the rich to sacrifice by reinstating the 90% tax rate they had under Dwight D. Eisenhower.
opedanderson
Obama spent 600 million dollars to get this job. He fought tooth and nail to get it.
His minions in the press should just remember that before writing stupid articles like this one.
He shouted out to us "It's raining! It's raining!" and now he suddenly realizes he's wet.
TK798999
Waaaaaa
Talking trash? That's not very Presidential or classy.
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