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Obama On Cancelled White House Tours: Hey, It Wasn’t My Idea!

Mar. 13, 2013 10:49am Becket Adams

President Claims He Had Nothing to Do With Cancelled White House Tours

US President Barack Obama points to a person viewing his Marine One return on March 5, 2013 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

The White House announced last week that all self-guided tours of the people’s house have been cancelled until further notice due to budget cuts stemming from sequestration.

“Due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you that White House Tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013 until further notice. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule affected tours,” the White House said in an email.

Understandably, the president has been roundly mocked for cancelling (of all things) self-guided tours of a publicly funded building.

But now he says it’s not his fault.

“You’ve been taking a lot of heat for this cancellation of the White House tours. They get– the Secret Service says it’s costs about $74,000 a week. Was canceling them really necessary?” asked ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos during an interview that was released Wednesday morning.

“You know, I have to say this was not — a decision that went up to the White House. But th– what the Secret Service explained to us was that they’re going to have to furlough some folks. What furloughs mean is– is that people lose a day of work and a day of pay,” the president said, per an early transcript of the interview.

“And, you know, the question for them is, you know, how deeply do they have to furlough their staff and is it worth it to make sure that we’ve got White House tours that means that you got a whole bunch of families who are depending on a paycheck who suddenly are seeing — a five percent or 10 percent – reduction in their pay,” he added.

“Well, what I’m asking them is are there ways, for example, for us to accommodate school groups– you know, who may have traveled here with some bake sales. Can we make sure that– kids, potentially, can– can still come to tour?”

The president continued, explaining how he had nothing to do with the cancelled tours:

But– but– I’m always amused when people on the one hand say — the sequester doesn’t mean anything and the administration’s exaggerating its effects; and then whatever the specific effects are, they yell and scream and say, “Why are you doin’ that?”

Well, there are consequences to Congress not having come up with a more sensible way to reduce the deficit. And what I’m proposing is if we do it smart, if we do it sensibly, if we do it in a balanced way that the American support, including, by the way, a majority of Republicans, then we don’t have to– do arbitrary stuff. We can do it in an intelligent way that’s gonna improve our economy.

–

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Comments (281)

blanco5
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:16am
Riiiiiiiiiight……..

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- Ben__Franklin
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:30am
  So who is running our Federal Government? Obama always talks like he and his Administration are two different people. One does not agree with the other. Its never his fault – its his Administrations fault. He was asleep at the time, or playing golf, or taking a vacation. He knows nutt’in about nutt’in – Watch you talk’in bout Willis!
  
  Report this comment
- IndyGuy
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:33am
  Yeah….Okey Dokey……………Obama’s default when bad stuff comes to light…”I didn’t do it”……Like a five year old with cookie crumbs on his lips next to an empty cookie jar…
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:45am
  Harry Truman: ‘”The Buck Stops Here.”
  BHO: “The Buck Stops…Anywhere But Here.”
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:02pm
  How much longer must we deal with this idiot…no sorry…that’s an insult to true idiot’s…
  
  Report this comment
- kat747
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:04pm
  Schizophrenia + delusional + split personality
  The combination of the three are the answer to the problem of this person.
  The solution…a strait jacket.
  
  Report this comment
- deskjockey
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:13pm
  “Well, there are consequences to Congress not having come up with a more sensible way to reduce the deficit. ” I can’t believe he is still saying this lie when even the media has shown that the sequester was his and Jack Lew’s idea. And Georgie porgie just lets him say it again. Mr. President, you are a liar!
  
  Report this comment
- Elena2010
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:20pm
  Ben — you ask a good question. Nobody seems to be running the gov’t, which is why it’s so out of control. At least on a well-rigged sailboat, it will eventually come to a halt when the weather-helm points into the wind.
  
  I’m surprised he did not find a way to blame Bush one more time!
  
  Report this comment
- TX_Ag_Engineer
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:30pm
  You can tell he’s lying… his lips are moving! Either he really has no idea what’s going on (inept) or he lies through his teeth. In either case, he needs to be thrown out on his… (party’s symbol)
  
  Report this comment
- Maji
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:31pm
  This president is “self admitted” the most ignorant
  President that ever held office!!
  
  Report this comment
- RedDirtTexas
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:33pm
  And there again scuffing up the Resolute Desk with his no class feet! Hey BOZO! GET YOUR CLOD HOPPERS OFF OUR FURNITURE!!!!!!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- richauthor
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:34pm
  Based upon his time in the public eye, everyone knows that it was not Choom-boy’s idea, because he hasn’t had one original thought yet.
  
  However, as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, Choom-boy certainly has had COUNTLESS opportunities to correct all nonsense such as the cancelled White House tours. That said, Choom-boy is still doing exactly what he has ALWAYS done… blaming others for everything (Obama ABANDONED our heroes in Benghazi), and only taking credit (ala the demise of Usama Bin Laden) when someone else in the government does something praiseworthy.
  
  Report this comment
- rickg62
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:38pm
  He’s the President. He’s in charge. The announcement came out of the WH. Silly us, how could anything ever be his fault?
  
  Report this comment
- Hammerdown
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:04pm
  There are no spending cuts. Even Paul Ryan’s budget increases 3.6% a year. President’s raises budget 5% a year. When Washington talks about cuts it is actually a reduction in the scheduled increase. Most of the U.S. workers saw a real cut in their take home pay, the government did not. Sequester is a joke!
  
  Report this comment
- NHwinter
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:20pm
  Well, there are consequences to Congress not having come up with a more sensible way to reduce the deficit. And what I’m proposing is if we do it smart, if we do it sensibly, if we do it in a balanced way that the American support, including, by the way, a majority of Republicans, then we don’t have to– do arbitrary stuff. We can do it in an intelligent way that’s gonna improve our economy.
  
  Didn’t the Republicans give him the option of cutting in a smart way and HE DECLINED to accept that responsibility!!!!! Just like he cannot accept responsibility for ANYTHING!!!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- antiprogressive
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:32pm
  he’s never made any OTHER decision on his own.
  why should this be any different?
  
  he couldn’t even vote yea or nay in the senate.
  
  merely an ORGANIZER of commities that will always get the blame-
  unless the public likes the outcome, i.e. Bin Lauden, then it is me me me.
  
  Report this comment
- FstEti
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:36pm
  Okay, just to be clear; how does cancelling the tours save Secret Service employees from having a reduction in pay? It would seem to me reducing the hours needed for the agents would have the opposite effect. In the real world, as business slows, so do the hours required to efficiently keep the business running. So how, exactly, does eliminating the tours and the man hours required to do so, insure that the agents will not realize a reduction in pay? This is silly. Am I missing something?
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:38pm
  He’s probably correct. Think about it. He’s the front man, always campaigning, even now when he can no longer run again. That’s all he’s ever done. Look at his weak Senate record. He’s not running anything. Can’t be.
  
  Report this comment
- Derek01
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:50pm
  Funny thing is, I believe him. He has plenty of A-holes on staff for that stuff. He’s a community organizer. No brains required, just BS. It’s how he rolls ; )
  
  Report this comment
- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 2:02pm
  He’s not man enough to take the blame for anything. He’s a snarky, sniveling little coward who cannot even stand behind his own policies without fear of being identified with them. What an effeminate little wimp.
  
  Report this comment
- ambrosia
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 2:20pm
  Obama Boo-Boo is NEVER at fault for anything !
  
  if ever he was hooked up to a lie detector machine,
  not only the White House but all of D.C. would implode & incinerate.
  
  The Bully King is FULL of crap-
  he’s got more CRAP than Kraft has cheese….
  speaking of cheese,
  once again,
  lil’ mealy-mouth, media mouse Georgie “Snuff n’ Stuff-it-up-your-wazoo”
  fails to put on his big boy BVDs
  and ask a tough question-
  Obama Boo-Boo & Georgie Poo-Poo……one & the same……F-A-I-L-U-R-E-S !
  
  Report this comment
- dwsmokin
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 2:57pm
  Of course-for the most powerful man in the world, he-by his own admission-has very little responsibility. How could he? Nothing is ever his fault. If I’d know the job of POTUS was so easy, I would have run. I’m as qualified as he is-maybe more so-at least I’ve owned a company, employed people, made a budget and a payroll, and understand how economics works. Maybe a could be Sec Treas, or serve on the finance committee with Barney Frank-couldn’t do any worse.
  
  Report this comment
- dsinsg
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:39pm
  More BULL$&@*!
  
  Report this comment
- SLAPTHELEFT
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:49pm
  I’M THE PRESIDENT BUT I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSIBILITY IN ANYTHING!
  
  Except obamacare. Thats all me!
  
  Report this comment
- ff0801mp
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 4:26pm
  Just another way to eliminate positive, factual history and information about our founders. When the next tour happens, and someone else like a true AMERICAN sees the inside again, pictures of Stalin, Hitler, Arab terrorists, progressives, Satan and other intellectually superior beings displayed, we will know that the Trilateral; Commission and other like minded elitist puppet masters have won and a better world will arise for some people.
  Read the Prophecies, this is all foretold.
  
  Report this comment
- MIBUGNU2
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 6:05pm
  “Wasn’t My Idea!” Hell NO ! NOTHING is ever his idea..
  Here we go again, “It was Georges idea”
  This will go down as the “No Not Me Presidency”
  
  Report this comment
- petersenonmain
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 6:24pm
  I have never seen a president that could craw fish as good as this man he could run the mile in under 4 minutes backward.
  
  Report this comment
- YankeeDelta68
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:16pm
  1. Get your feet off the desk numbnuts
  2. It cost 74000 dollars for what to get fed employees do his job
  come on barry
  
  Report this comment
- subic
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:27pm
  Look, just consider his background, this guy’s entire life is a lie. Plus he’s a democrat. Liberal dems are lying, scamming, dishonest, kaniviving, cheating, thieving, truth spinning slime and a plague to the world.
  
  Report this comment
- IndyServative
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:49pm
  Nothing is his idea. That’s just it.
  
  He has no ideas…..except spend, spend, spend.
  
  Report this comment
- earthrat
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:09pm
  Who in their right mind would want to be so close to this SOB as to visit the house he lives in? Personally I am glad I live on the west coast. Would love it if I could be even farther away from this ***** but that’s the way it is.
  
  Report this comment
- peaceangel
  Posted on March 14, 2013 at 1:42am
  Right is Right—-so, he slept through this like he slept through Benghazi and like he slept through the signing of the NDAA act of 2011 (or was drunk at midnite on New Years Eve) and he slept through all his racist accusations and comments that all turned out to be bogus and he added 6 Trillion dollars to the budget without noticing and he prints money every single day without a clue how he can cover it and well, this puppet for the Bilderburg group has slept through most of his life, really, just puppeting for the “machine” destroying this nation. What a legacy. His whole presidency can be defined by the statement, “It wasn’t me.”
  
  Report this comment
- sURFNmADNESS
  Posted on March 14, 2013 at 9:25am
  Blame Bush, Blame Bush, Blame Bush…… what that will not work? Ok, Blame the Rich, Blame the Rich……. not working either? Ok… How about Michelle’s mom is not feeling well and I don’t want anyone to catch it? Yeah, that’s the ticket!
  
  Report this comment
- bannedfromCNN
  Posted on March 14, 2013 at 11:26am
  The Limbaugh Theorem in practice…
  
  Report this comment
- G-WHIZ
  Posted on March 14, 2013 at 12:25pm
  Born-in-test-tube-Berrie Soetoro-as President was not our idea, either!! Would much rather have his test-tube-bro….BOZO-THE-CLONE!!
  
  Report this comment
huey6367
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:16am
Never his fault. Never. Yet it came from your administration. All other administrations take the blame for their actions. That’s what adults do. That’s right, this is the first child President. And he is having a tantrum because the sequester he proposed came to fruition.

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- Thinman
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:25pm
  Yet he was there in the situation room when he got Bin Laden…The only time he was aware of anything his administration has done, hmmm.
  
  Report this comment
- kentuckypatriot
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:02pm
  OMG he makes my head explode with his BS. Someone make it stop PLEASEEEEE
  
  Report this comment
- CatB
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 4:26pm
  BENGHAZI! Obama lies .. enough .. I have had more than ENOUGH!
  
  Report this comment
moreteaplease
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:14am
What furloughs mean is– is that people lose a day of work and a day of pay,” the president said,
—————————-
What a condescending little twerp.

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- GMP
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:18am
  1 Day per week = 20% of a pay check. A GS-09 is losing the equivalent of a car payment per pay period, or the cost of day care for ONE week.
  
  Making it hurt.. yep.
  
  Report this comment
- biohazard23
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:18am
  He’s completely full of, as usual.
  
  Report this comment
- ltb
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:19am
  That little worm never takes responsibility for his failures and is always the first to take credit for someone else’s success.
  
  Report this comment
YourVoiceMatters
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:09am
when you don’t be lookin they will be happening again but you will not hear it, a big dog and pony show! jerks inc…publicity stunt!

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Penn
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:08am
“It wasn’t me, Boss. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t me.
It must have been some other body. Uh.Uh Boss. It wasn’t me”

Gee. I always thought that was just a cool Chuck Berry song. Now I know where he got the idea.

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HelloWorld
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:07am
Who talks like this? Oh yeah, the leader of the free world. Very adult and certainly a leader.

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RightUnite
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:07am
Nice way to throw the Secret Service under the bus…. I hope they don’t take it too kindly.

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- huey6367
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:18am
  Eventually there will be no room under the bus for him to throw anyone. It’s getting pretty full now.
  
  Report this comment
- mrunner
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:53am
  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they (the Secret Service) staged a wildcat walkout strike due to rat bastard Obama’s condescending attitude?
  
  Report this comment
65Mustang
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:06am
A serial liar if ever there was one, never responsible for anything that comes from the WH…must have Valerie’s decision.

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LukeAppling
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:06am
Hey stupid, if it is not your idea why do it? Your inexperience is killing America> A weak, weak leader blames others…..let me present your President Mr Barack Obama as the weakest.

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- kat747
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:29pm
  Just wait a little while longer….between the Iranians and the North Koreans, one of them has a solution for him. Both of those countries know “WEAK” when they see it.
  
  Report this comment
Female
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:04am
“Who stole the wh tours from the little children?”

“O stole the wh tours from the little children”

“Couldn’t be”

“Then, who?”

“Secret Service had to forlough and stole the wh from the children”

“Couldn’t be”

Then Who?”

“The MEAN old congress stole the wh tours from the little school children”

“Well, take the key and lock them out, lock them out, lock them out! MY FAIR LADY” and outlaw those obseity causing bakegoods, too!

Children’s nursery rhymes seem so appropriate for childish O’s responses, don’t ya think?

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rowdygirl
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:02am
Nothing is ever his fault. What a leader.

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Watcher1952
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:02am
It’s not my fault….I didn’t do anything……This is a lying…cheating …deceitful person…..don’t believe a word that come’s out of his mouth……Barack Hussein Obama is doing everthing he can to punish the American people because he didn’t get his way. I am willing to give up alot just to get this liar out of office and exposed to the American people for just what he is……beware America…..LOCK & LOAD

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biohazard23
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:02am
Dear leader reminds me of someone from childhood.

http://childhoodrelived.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/family_circus_notme.gif

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eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:02am
Uh, yeah – whatever.

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AvengerK
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:01am
Let’s see…we have leaked memos confirming that the whitehouse has instructed federal workers to not undermine Obama’s messaging on cuts from the sequester. In short, a confirmation that the Obama white house wants to inflict maximum, high-profile pain and exploit it. And now in typical Obama fashion, it’s someone else’s fault once again.
Obama is a blight on the American people.

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- richauthor
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:49pm
  Great analysis.
  
  Report this comment
Stoic one
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:59am
Bathhouse Barry confirmed in that interview basic arithmetic is beyond his grasp. A one day in five furlough is TWENTY percent; not five or ten.

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- Pokerjoe
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:37am
  The he adds things up,I wish he was a bookie.
  
  Report this comment
BehindTheMouth
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:59am
What kind a president never mans up for his mistakes?

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- JGraham III
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:11am
  This kind.
  
  Report this comment
- MDECKER
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:16pm
  This is all just amusing to him. Those are his words by the way. Was it just as amusing to him when four Americans were killed in Benghazi too? He has no time to sweat the small stuff. He’s the President. “When is tee time again?”
  
  Report this comment
doglady
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:58am
How can anyone believe a word this POS says. He is never at fault. I pray that there is something left of this country after he is gone.

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OnwardThroughTheFog
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:58am
Does this guy take responsibility for ANYTHING??????? What a Choomhead!

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- Stoic one
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:04pm
  YES! anything positive……Which explains why nothing positive has come out of his mouth of late.
  
  Report this comment
- dosdelgados
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 2:05pm
  Bin Laden. He takes credit for Bin Laden. The way he, Biden, and Carney word it half the population probably thinks he actually pulled the trigger.
  
  Report this comment
leasecommander
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:58am
Wow, Mr. Obama blames someone else….alert the media !!!!
Mr. Obama, when is it ever your fault ??????????????????????

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- AvengerK
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:06am
  well it depends LEASE…if it’s successful then it’s Obama’s doing according to Obama.
  
  For instance Obama takes full credit for the upsurge in the energy business- gas and oil- in America. But we just had a government report that says it’s all been by private companies on private lands..that in fact, Obama’s policies have stood in the way of an even bigger boom in the energy business. This translates into more tax revenues and more jobs…but Obama’s use of the EPA, Stephen Chu’s department and Ken Salazar has in fact cut exploration and drilling on federal lands by around 50% since he took office.
  But that’s one instance where Obama accepts responsibility…an instance where he had absolutely no role in it’s success in fact he’s hampered even better growth.
  
  Report this comment
Steve_Surfs
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:58am
Going on 5 years in office, and Obama does nothing. He obviously does nothing because he says he is not responsible for anything. The buck always stops before it gets to the White House; stupid Americans that put him in for the second term.

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woodyee
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:57am
Lying about the guys watching his back – this is GREAT!!

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nattybrooks
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:56am
wh-what i’m saying is i got caught again and you still wont get testimony from benghazi witness’

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jungle J
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:55am
Only the truest of rats and muslim terrorists hide behind a woman’s skirt or a child.I would say if there were a portrait of the consummate veiled coward O would qualify for a sitting.

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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:52am
He is a child. Grow up Mr. President.

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- countryfirst
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:09pm
  Are his children even his?
  
  Report this comment
- rolex1965
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 12:19pm
  COUNTRYFIRST…..One of the kids resembles Louis Faggarton….I don’t think he’s man enough to father children….
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 1:43pm
  COUNTRYFIRST..no..someone else made that happen.
  
  Report this comment
- subic
  Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:56pm
  Not likely COUNTRYFIRST, from what I have heard, Moose “magilla gorilla” was loose as a goose & would spread her legs for anyone before the puppet masters matched her up with Barry for this staged presidential experiment to accelorate the NWO.
  
  Report this comment

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