One More Tidbit From That Obama Book: Admiral Visited Swing Set Co. to ‘Inspect It’ for First Family
Jodi Kantor’s book about the Obamas nabbed headlines at the beginning of the year. There was the accusation of a shouting match between Michelle and then-Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, and the frenzy over the hush-hush “Alice in Wonderland” party at the White House. And even though the chatter around the book has declined (although there’s been some this week), there are still some revelations coming from it — like the interesting story about how a Rear Admiral flew to a swing set company to inspect the playground the Obamas wanted to get for their daughters.
That tidbit is thanks to David Remnick, a reviewer for the “New Yorker” magazine. Remnick reveals it during a discussion on how Kantor portrays the Obamas as a couple trapped inside the White House, secluded, with no real social lives:
The portrait that Kantor paints of the Obamas at home is an elaboration of her Times Magazine article and doesn’t much alter our previous impressions. The Obamas draw a pretty tight curtain around themselves. They eat dinner together in the residence at least five days a week. Michelle goes to bed at nine-thirty or ten, while the President does paperwork in the Treaty Room. They have a very small circle of friends. They do not go out of their way to seek out new people. (“The decision came with a price,” Kantor maintains, “reinforcing the already severe isolation of the presidency.”) The Obamas are “virtual prisoners” in the White House, something that rankles them both. The President tries to pierce the bubble by reading ten letters a day from ordinary people. Michelle shops online using a credit card registered to another name. When the Obamas wanted a swing set for their daughters, Sasha and Malia, the chief usher, Rear Admiral Stephen Rochon, visited the factory in South Dakota to inspect it. At Malia’s school, the fifth-grade band played once for the parents and siblings and once for Barack, Michelle, and Sasha. Michelle is the kind of helicopter parent that you might be if your helicopter was Marine One: she demands that Sasha and Malia finish their homework a day in advance when possible, and asks for written reports on their travels. She even persuaded the girls’ piano teacher in Chicago to relocate to Washington. When it comes to politics, Michelle presses the staff for clearly defined projects, no “one-offs,” but, in the end, won’t spend more than a couple of days a week on these projects. (Rahm Emanuel found her reluctance “maddening.”) [Emphasis added]
In case you forgot, the swing set story was popular for a brief time in 2009, and especially bolstered those who fancied the Obama administration as a new type of JFK “Camelot” with laughing kids brightening up the Oval Office:
The 100 percent cedar and North American Redwood structure has four swings, including a tire swing, a slide, a fort, a climbing wall and climbing ropes. There’s also a picnic table with brass plates etched with the names of all 44 presidents, she said.
“They ran right for it. They were really, really excited. All four of them,” McCormick Lelyveld said.
The girls played on the set for almost an hour in chilly weather, she said. Their mother went for a swing, too.
The Obamas paid for the swing set, which was made and installed by Rainbow Play Systems of Brookings, S.D. The company’s Web site says it’s the most trusted brand name in wooden swing sets.
Kantor’s revelation (via Remnick) will certainly have its critics (They have to send people out to “inspect” their daughters’ toys?), supporters (Is there any expense you’d spare for the safety of your kids?), and I-don’t-cares. But wherever you fall on the spectrum, past actions like flying in a chef for a pizza party won’t help.
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Comments (90)
discus02
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:27pmUsing a credit card in someone elses name. Must be a Chicago thing!
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Mapache
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:35pmYeah, the name on the card is : US TAXPAYER
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Ruler4You
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:52pmA “tight” curtain? you mean like, Hugo Chavez? Fidel Castro? Kim Jong Un? Putin? Ahmadinejad?
Yeah. I think we get the picture.
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Ruler4You
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:53pmWHAT? No ‘food’ tasters?
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IntheKnowOG
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:03pm“Food tasters”….I love it!
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NoSocialistRetards
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:04pmDidn’t they recently arrest someone for using a false name to get a cell phone? Where is the difference? The unimportant swing aside they are out of control. No president would ever announce 2 million “Truth Organizers” what the he** is that shft? An Army.
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WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges11
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:29pm“The Obamas draw a pretty tight curtain around themselves. They eat dinner together in the residence at least five days a week. Michelle goes to bed at nine-thirty or ten, while the President does paperwork in the Treaty Room. They have a very small circle of friends. They do not go out of their way to seek out new people.”
Oooo! The black half of Obama gettin’ upttiy in the Whitey House. They ain’t “little people” no mo.
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bombshelterbob
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 8:44pmNaw, not really, I have a couple of neighbors from the south that do the same thing.
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Superchunk
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:00pmIsn’t that called “Identity Theft”?
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sooner12
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:16pmAfter reading this, did I say Fuc* Obama?
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mwhaley
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:36pmObama the parasite, has always been feeding on the host, the American people. This guy is smart. How else could anyone survive for almost 50 years without working a day in his life?
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mbck1491
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:08pmDidn’t you mean to say Chicago thug?
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KentuckyVet
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:23pmJust one more way the OButtheads belittle our Military!
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BlackCrow
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:21pmDon’t you know that swing set will be added to the National Historic Places registry? Obama touched it!
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Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:13pmWhat the helll does the Admiral know about swing sets that the manufacturer doesn’t know?
Obama is an idiot.. And there is no hope, no matter how much makeover for his wife moose-hell…
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pavnvet
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:36pmNot only that, how much did that cost the American taxpayer. Yea, he paid for the $5000 swing, but the taxpayers were probably out more considering the cost of transporting a flag officer and that person’s time as well as the time of his aids handling out of routine details. These two haven’t a clue (BO/MO) and no class.
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SoupSandwich
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:46pmLike he knows what a flag officer actually is- they would complain and say you are insensitive to homosexuals and not even get your blank stare.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:11pm“Michelle is the kind of helicopter parent that you might be if your helicopter was Marine One: she demands that Sasha and Malia finish their homework a day in advance when possible, and asks for written reports on their travels. She even persuaded the girls’ piano teacher in Chicago to relocate to Washington.”
—————————————————————————————–
That’s a lot of swingset for two little girls, that we paid for. Who the he77 is a “helicopter parent?” I would also bet that WE paid for that piano teacher to relocate into a rather expensive house in DC.
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Chuck Stein
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:38pm@ Anonymous
“Who the he77 is a “helicopter parent?” — the term “helicopter parent” refers to a parent who “hovers” over her or his children to make sure that they are safe/successful/happy, etc.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:43pm@Chuck
Thanks for educating me.
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2theADDLED
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:00pmLike the foods you may eat, How late you may stay up. I see a helicopter but I believe it’s a Chinook.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 6:23pm2THEADDLED, Bwahahahaha! Your statement really cracked me up, and I am still giggling. You must obviously know the typical GI’s pronunciation of the word Chinook!
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Ann
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 9:41amAs a teacher, I’ll tell you who heliopter parents are. They ‘hover’ over their kids to such an extent that the kids can’t think/ do for themselves. Some college graduate, who have helicopter parents, even bring these parents to job interviews. No joke!
The result – kids who can’t think or act for themselves. Mom and/or dad does it for them
Reminds you of this administration, doesn’t it? We are too stupid to think for ourselves. Mommy and daddy Obama will do it for us. They can make rules, take our money; and it’s for our own good!
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Highland
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:07pmWhat the heck is the point of putting presidents’ names on brass plates on a picnic table? What kind of stupid expenditure is that? That’s bizarre even for Michelle Antoinette and her consort, The Anointed Won.
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spirited
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:08pmIt would have been cheezy to put daddy’s name on the table. No?
Kinda like mommy writing baby’s name on evey article of clothing when baby goes to summer camp.
Also, it was probably hoped that ‘president’ would be changed to emperor;
> Look girls, –All of those other names were ONLY presidents.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 6:26pmSPIRITED, the plate does have Daddy’s name on it. It was said to have listed all 44 presidents, and he is the 44th.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:03pm“Michelle shops online using a credit card registered to another name.”
———————————————————————————–
I wonder which one of Barry’s aliases she uses?
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Walkabout
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:01pmCan’t yoe send a senior enlisted person or junior officer who is a safety officer.
Obama is stupid enough to use a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
Either that or he wanted to debase the military again (like the Clintons).
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TomFerrari
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:21pmI hear ya!
Was he afraid the manufacturer would plot to overthrow the U.S. by using inferior swings?
I’m not sure why Michelle has to shop online… Last I heard she sends her servants out to buy $40,000.00 diamond bracelets for her.
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JACKW33
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:59pmPaying for purchases with a credit card in someone else’s name?!
John Q. Public
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9111315
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:23pmI think the bill for that one comes to my house every April.
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Dismayed Veteran
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:43pmLast time I did that I got arrested. (end sarcasm)
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lukerw
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:57pmIt’s… Good… to be a King!
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:45pmOh pi$$boy!!! Hahahaha! Funny movie.
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Guttersmack
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:56pmCome November 2012, I will happily vote to end his ‘prison sentence’ in the WH. Let this poor family return to their freedom in Chicago….where are my alligator tears?…
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The Sergeant Major
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:07pmA Flag Officer will have all the qualifications to Command a fleet, but to lower him or keep him in his place by a community organizer. Do you mean to tell me that the Army Corps of Engineers do not have a field off near the manufacture? What’s next? Sending a bunch of farm trained agents to check the backgrounds of the workers making the swingset? When the Flag Officer flew out to North Dakota; you know his aid-decamp and security team went with him. This is the task for a Non-Commissioned Officer at best, a junior NCO at that. I wonder if the daprez had to get special building permits to build this unplanned structure the district?
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phillipwgirard
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:55pmCamelot? Like JFK? LOL PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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phillipwgirard
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:58pmSham-a-lot is more like it
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My Two Cents
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:52pmSixteen vacations in 3 1/2 years, private chefs, a plethora of personal assistants, parties galore, unlimited golf and all on someone elses dime.
Now that is one heck of a prison.
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KangarooJack
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:44pmI doubt the kids have even played on it. I sure do NOT care for Obama-nor his Imelda shoe loving wife-but the kids probably never just ran outside and played. Pre-WH days included. ‘Ya know-just being regular kids.
Gee, to have a Rear Admiral personally fly/go to the swingset manufacturer just to check it out? Wonder if someone goes to the sweatshops to view their clothes being made?
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grandmaof5
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:41pmPerhaps the Rear Admiral has an engineering degree in swing sets, which would then qualify him to be the czar of swingsets. When we bought one for our grandchildren we just read the safety information and construction info and came to our own educated conclusion – but then we don’t have a degree from Harvard. Perhaps the information was written in too simple of terms.
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DD313
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:40pmWhere’s the tire swing?
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BurntHills
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:36pmboth obamas are nothing but rabid communists with the only agenda of destroying America.
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pap pap
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:34pmWhy couldn’t they have just looked it up in Consumer Reports or on-line. What a waste of our military to be servants for the king and queen (not capitalized on purpose)
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Gonzo
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:40pmCome now, that’s for us little people. Lord Obama has people to do these things for him.
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Bum thrower
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:06pmHey…BHO has “people”………besides, gave the Admrial a chance to get outta the office…..Oh………….do you know why guys in the Navy have tatoos?
So the Marines have something to read after sex………..
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Nick84
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 6:08pmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Chief_Usher
“The Chief Usher serves at the pleasure of the president and coordinates both official and family life at the White House.”
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TheObamanation
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:33pmIf michelle sits on the green swing on the end … the contraption transforms into a catapult.
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Sam Brown
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:33pmHow many rounds of golf has king obama played while our troops die in Afganistan?
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Gonzo
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:27pm“The Obamas are “virtual prisoners” in the White House” Oh those poor, poor people! Let’s all do our best to set them free this November!
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TheObamanation
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:34pmA ski trip in Aspen is just what the doctor ordered.
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Gonzo
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:38pmA one way ticket back to Chicago is what I had in mind.
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TheObamanation
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:25pmHow many trees died for this swing set ? … couldn’t they find one made from recycled plastic ? … Hypochrites
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CatB
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:31pmNot to mention that someone had to go “in person” to check it out .. they don’t have a website or phone number? I bet the Obama’s got a “deal” on it also.
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:25pmany suprise? Obama at his best…abuse it to the end.
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Sam Brown
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:24pmSo, how many vacations has Michelle taken since she became queen?
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The American
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:43pmI believe we are up to 16
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kaydeebeau
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:20pmstop with the HuffPo references for crying out loud – are they the “go to” news source for the Blaze now?? Can’t read a single thing here anymore without copy from HufPo – ENOUGH already
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