Should the Obamas Have Taken Separate Jets on Their Martha’s Vineyard Vacation?
- Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:15pm by
Jessie Abrams
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President Barack Obama‘s 10 day family vacation at Martha’s Vineyard is getting off to a controversial start. Some Americans are debating the appropriateness of the president’s vacation, at a time when his own approval rating is historically low, American satisfaction with the state of the country hovers close to 10 percent, and the financial markets continue to be shaky.
President Obama arrived at his estate of choice called Blue Heron Farm yesterday. It’s a property that rents for about $50,000 a week, according to a report from The Daily Mail.
His wife Michele, and daughters Malia, 13, and Sasha, 10, left home from their own jet just hours before the president’s departure and met him in Massachusetts. That separate departure has gotten some worked up. The Daily Mail reported on Friday:
The much-maligned vacation became a PR nightmare, after it emerged this morning that he and his wife took separate government jets to Martha’s Vineyard just hours apart.
The extra transport to get the the First Lady to the island for only a few more hours of vacation time will have cost taxpayers thousands in additional expenses.
The costs related to Mrs Obama’s solo trip mainly include the flight on the specially designed military aircraft she took instead of Air Force One, as well as any extra staff and Secret Service that had to be enlisted to go with her.
She would also have had her own motorcade from the airport to her vacation residence.
The President had already drawn scorn for using two helicopters and Air Force One to get to Martha’s Vineyard…
After landing at Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station, he then took a final helicopter to his holiday destination to complete the remarkable 500-mile journey.
So far, seemingly no one has had a problem with Bo, the presidential dog who got to ride with the president on Air Force One.
Once the entire group made in onto the island, President Obama decided he’d make a few purchases with his own credit card. He bought his daughters books they needed for school from Bunch of Grapes bookshop near his vacation farm. He purchased Brave New World and The Bayou Trilogy, among three or four others. President Obama told the cashier who waited on him, that he only uses his personal credit card about three times a year. Afterwards, he went golfing.
The vacation hasn’t been all stories and tee times for the president; the job has traveled with him. Both John Brennan, President Obama’s counterterrorism adviser, and Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, have accompanied the president to Martha’s Vineyard. The president began his vacation with a sobering discussion about national security with Mr. Brennan.
Sarah Palin has had some sobering words for President Obama, too. After calling the president ‘very, very tone deaf’ during an appearance on Fox News on Thursday, she predicted he wouldn’t be staying away from Washington very much longer.
“I wouldn’t (go on vacation) if I were he, especially not to Martha’s Vineyard. I do predict that he is not going to be gone the full ten days,” Palin said. “He is going to get the advice from his advisers that he needs to get back to work to the White House and he needs to start working very closely on a bi-partisan measure with Congress and start plugging in these new solutions.”
Whatever the criticism from citizens or opponents across the aisle, President Obama still holds some charm over a group of welcomers at the Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station. Some call the president sweet, after watching this video of him pacifying an infant that was screaming in Michele Obama’s arms, by taking the baby into his own.






















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Comments (184)
mrfunn
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:44amSomething in me is saying Obama is not reading Brave New World. My guess is this is some sort of, focus group tested, ‘shove it in your face’, political crap.
Report Post »mrfunn
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 9:39am.
The masses are asses.
The only thing the MSNBC crowd will know about Brave New World is the title.
I’ve read it twice Once in my youth and again some ten years ago. If this is the sort of brave new world Obama wants with his fundamental transformation, we are in deeper dodo than I thought.
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 11:14amI agree.. he is too lazy to read.. it is all a show … nothing he does is real.. he is an imposter
Report Post »I think he gets out of DC because he is lazy, doesn’t want to work.. doesn’t think he should have to work ( cause he won) He thinks he is at the top level of comunity organizing.. community, then state, then country and finally the world. He knows nothing and cares less. someone else is running this country.. probably Ayers.. that‘s why he doesn’t need to work.. He is just the TOTUS reader and the instigator of racial problems.. which of course is a big part of the plan to socialize this country.
Let the loafers continue with the hypocrisy which is blatant at this time.
biohazard23
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 12:06pm@MrFunn, Hussein Obumbler’s choice of material was not a coincidence. BNW is the textbook example of how the left wants to fashion society since they are the only ones “enlightened” enough to control the (One) World Society. They feel that since they know better than anyone else, they deem themselves fit to divide the idiot masses into several levels of predetermined usefulness. They want to push the lemmings into total submission by offering happiness and stability while stripping away personal accountability and freedom of choice. Of course, handing out some free goodies (Soma) to help the masses remain docile always helps, hence the push to legalize drugs. And if you resist, then you will be exiled. Or worse.
SO his choice of summer reading was not a coincidence, but perhaps he was tipping his hand a little.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:43amTheir lifestyle is disrespectful of how the rest of us are living. Times are bad and his family is out there flaunting their position and wasting our money.
Tighten you belt America, indeed. Lead by example punk president. You didn’t learn that from your commie mommie did ya…Here channel this “iIii”
SamIamTwo
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:45amOr better yet.
0100011001110101011000110110101100100000011110010110111101110101001000000100111101100010011000010110110101100001
Report Post »KOCHLEFFEL
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 10:11amMoney doesn’t matter, we don’t have any.
Report Post »Bubbyleg
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:33amNo wonder the progessives call us racist. Bushie and Davebelievesintrinity, you both spew ignorance while crediting yourselves with appropriate humor. Get a life. Neither of you are funny or intelligent. It’s difficult enough that the conservative majority are labeled this way because of a small percentage of idiots.
Report Post »INTHEBEGININGGOD
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:31amThey are arrogant people, they don’t give two hoots what we think or feel. I think they are having trouble in there marriage just like the Clinton’s. And the American people are paying for it. The Clintons stole all kinds of stuff out of the W/H when they left. Do you remember MS. Clinton took all the Dinnerware. I would bet the obama’s are already getting the vans ordered now…
Report Post »RIGHTHOOK
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:45amAgreed! And the fool should lead by example which he has failed to do since day one in the Oval Office (that is unless Marxism is the gauge).
Report Post »What is with the faux grey hair??? Is he portraying high levels of stress and attempting to receive sympathy or is he playing the “I am an experienced and seasoned leader” card??? Each week he has his barber put just a little more “grey” in the hair. Absurd!
GMI
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:31amThese two have been grifting off the public dole forever, it’s your money, not theirs. They have a 100% disconnect with anyone, black or while,who was to work for anything. Follow the news, these “thug mobs” are just following the leader, taking whatever they want cause they’re entitled. The working people of this great country are getting screwed, dems favoring the do nothings and reps favoring the wealthy. Who favors the middle class? Time for a new awakening!!
Report Post »Quiata
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:28amAfter reading sympathetic comparisons to past presidential vacations (going back to Teddy Roosevelt), I‘m still bothered by the broad financial parameters of our first couple’s ill-timed and too-frequent vacations. This is a couple that campaigned on the promise that they were going to reinvent government and transform this country in a fundamental way…and all their yes-men supporters do is sit back and provide accolades.
Report Post »not funny
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:37amThe media has also been busy comparing his vacation times with those of Pres. Bush. The biggest difference I see is that Bush went to HIS OWN HOUSE in Crawford, TX–taxpayers did not have to fork over $50,000 a week for him to rent a property. Why don’t the Obamas ever go to their own home in Chicago? Why don’t they fly on the same plane–that would save tons of money. Liberals love to spend other peoples’ money.
Report Post »LovinUSA
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:07amIt is unfortunate that Barry the Bushwhacker was born with a “half- fast” brain Which only functions when stimulated by hate, greed, and the need to control those who do not respond well to his demands and question his insignifigant ideas. With this type of problem he has adjusted to keep his tantrums in check, as to not alarm anyone that he is “short circuiting”, but at the same time, while attempting to maintain the rage, he creates the urge to spend tremendous amounts of money to pacify and calm the imbalance with in him. An illness such as this leaves one uncontrolled and out of touch with NORMAL intellegent human beings.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:31am.
Report Post »Michelle is so important she couldn’t wait 4 hours and fly Air Force One?
These people are evil.
Their re-election will be the price America pays for slavery and white guilt.
Who else would vote for them?
jacobstroubles
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:36amOh his tantrusms may APPEAR to be in check, but I bet a few people closest to him know otherwise.
However, this will all unravle pretty soon.
For those who are trained in this area, it’s was easy to spot from day one… you can see the anger in this one barely below the surface, and there’s alot of it too.
As pressure’s mount over the next few days/weeks.. people are likley to witness the anger from this one come to the surface.. it should be quite a show. They’ll need to be able to control the media outlets probably soon, in order for the public not to be able to witness most of it.
Much will be revealed about this one soon!
Report Post »Fastsam
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:00amThere‘s an old sea story about a ship’s Captain who inspected
his sailors, and afterward told the first mate that his men smelled bad..
The Captain suggested perhaps it would help if the sailors
would change underwear occasionally.
The first mate responded, “Aye, aye sir, I’ll see to it immediately!”
The first mate went straight to the sailors berth deck and announced, “The Captain thinks you guys smell bad and wants you to change your underwear.”
He continued, “Pittman, you change with Jones, McCarthy, you change with Witkowski, and Brown, you change with
Schultz.”
THE MORAL OF THE STORY:
Someone may come along and promise “Change”,
but don’t count on things smelling any better.
Report Post »one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:08amSHOULD THE OBAMAS HAVE TAKEN SEPARATE JETS ON THEIR MARTHA’S VINEYARD VACATION? Yes and the kids should have had 1 of their own each too .. Why not ? It’s the other guy that pays for it..
Report Post »TyrannyNoMore
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:42amLOL…..I love this story…..I will have to use this later, when I talk to my Obama worshiping neighbor. Thanks for the laugh!
Report Post »questioningwithboldness
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 5:19pmVery good analogy! Thanks for that!
Report Post »Arrogance is the 1st word I can think of with this group.
Rational Man
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:53pmThats just nasty!
Report Post »hikinggussie
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:54amhow come my comments aren’t being posted? they haven’t been bad? what’s with this site?
Report Post »one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:11amI don‘t know I’m reading this one and the one below me… But still I’ll go have my eyes checked just in case..
Report Post »hikinggussie
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:52amHaving been a pastor’s wife and having everyone watch your every move and everything you buy and everywhere you go, in one sense it is no one else’s business. But having said that, a leader should not live higher than his people. If he chose to be president and his wife agreed, they should willingly show their people that they are willing to sacrifice too. I certainly do not see that at all. There is a big difference in returning to your ranch in Crawford Texas and spending government money to flaunt a wealthy lifestyle all over the world. But, hey, I didn’t vote for him! Even scarier than what he and his wife do, are the ignorant people in this country that still keep voting for these types! I don’t approve of everything Bushie did either, we need good conservatives!
Report Post »TyrannyNoMore
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:50amAnyone, who knows about Muslim culture, knows that it is only proper for the man of the family to travel separately from the wife and kids. The man will not even travel in the same car as the wife and kids in the Mideast. I believe this is just another sign given to the Muslim brotherhood that :Hey I’m one of you guys!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:03amWow, hadn’t thought about that. I was focused on how much money it takes to have them travel separately. About using his own credit card, that disturbs me. He only uses his own credit card a few times a year? Maybe he doesn’t have Discover, where you get 1% back. We use ours for everything, and don’t carry a balance forward, paying it off in full each month.
Report Post »GO-FOR-LIBERTY
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:05amWhy doesen’t he just walk across the water?
Report Post »ausmusdj
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:41amAt at a time when our economy is tanking, this president and family want to FLAUNT their use of our funds. He is no gift to the American people.
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:02amThey just love throwing it up in the people face, don’t they? At a time when unemployment is at one of it’s highest levels ever, and people are worried about the economy, three wars going on, our closest ally in the middle east being pressured from all sides, the leader of the greatest country in the world turns his back on all of it and heads out of town for his MONTHLY vacation, this time to “snob land” Martha’s Vineyard. AND, to make matters worse, the rest of his family takes a SEPARATE JET to go there a couple of hours before? Like they couldn’t wait and all go together? This man thinks he is KING, not an “elected official”!!! Maybe Maxine Waters should include that in her next Obama bashing speech! This man only cares about himself, and he has little regard for the people that elected him, in my opinion!!! The quicker he gets voted OUT, the better off this country will be!!!
Report Post »dadsrootbeer
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:40amBushie,
Report Post »Right on. Been saying that myself as well as others. Been going on since they moved into the White House.
One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:28amI still do call it that!
These people won the ghetto lottery as they gallivant around the world like there‘s no tomorrow and the way they do there won’t be thank GOD as people around the globe are shaking their heads at the Obama Opulence at the taxpayers and CHICOM’s expense.
The only good thing to come of this is after this crazy Wal Mart like looter ride, another left wing African American won’t be elected president for another 230 years.
Report Post »claymoremacm
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:15amLol
Report Post »Davebelievesintrinity
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:13amA black mansvacation on a white man check book! He has been riding on the backs of tax payers since he was born in Kenya then came to live off the Americans, education, living expenses etc.
Report Post »hottips2011
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:08amI hope Bo dropped a tremendous deuce in the aisle, mid-flight.
Report Post »muhamadhater
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:02am@PEPPA..I got a feeling your gonna be one of the few that vote for a second term for obama..am I right or wrong? I truly hope im wrong!! either way GOD bless u, and I hope GOD can someday open your eyes more for u 2 start really seeing what is going on!!
Report Post »jacobstroubles
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:38amOh… I wouldnt worry too much about GOD opening their eyes, as GOD is about to wrap things up down here, and I have a feeling a whole bunch of them are gonna have their eyes opened.
Report Post »jerryod1627
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:02amI would not want him or moochelle near any of my kids, and certainly not holding them!
Report Post »Living In NYC
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:01amWhy not Meeshell needed to get there early for “Sunset” special at Ponderosa Steak House so she could chow down on “the all you can eat” food bar!
Yep and I had to 600 miles in my wife’s mini van this year for vacation, because my I haven’t had a bonus in three years….I just thank god every day I have job and could take my family on a budget vacation!
Can wait till 2012!
Report Post »Living In NYC
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:09amBTW….First vacation in three years for me…not sixth or seventh in the three months!
We had to pay college tution for two children..the full boat since our kids did not qualify for any grants or money!
Hey, didn’t use any credit cards either we are cash only our new norm!. We are on our new fixed income of 40% less than 2008 with no bonuses!
My hope and change!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:07amI hear ya. My vacation was only because we got money back when they readjusted our mortgage. I went home to my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. First time I’d had any vacation at all since 2008, and then it was to a family reunion. What’s a vacation (that’s not spent with family)?
Report Post »JamesR
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:57amWhat is wrong with commercial flights? It sure would save a truck load of money if Bama would keep the jets on the ground and take to the air like the rest of us. It’s another joke, Americans working to keep these political welfare hacks in comfort.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:10amYes, it would save a tremendous amount of money, but I imagine they‘ve dealt with so many death threats and hate mail that it wouldn’t be safe for them to travel commercial. But they COULD go in the same jet, Airforce One. But Michelle is so independent, she couldn’t wait a couple hours for her husband? I think he hates him, and can’t stand his white half.
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:53amObama wants the rest of the government to cut 5% from their budgets. He can’toney go to waste so he is looking for creative ways to spend it.
Report Post »Black buses, campaign trip to 3 states, seperate planes to the Vinyard, $50,000 per week vaction rental. I’m sure his wife and girls can find some other expensive trip for them and their friends to go on. Maybe Aruba would be a possibility.
If there is a drug cartel in Aruba they could supplement the cost by using Air Force One to transport a few AK47s to them. ATFE could arrange the buy from gun shops.
LadyIzShy
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:50amits not HIS money what does he care.. the dog at least went with him this time, but did the handler? or did HE fly seperate again.. I will be so happy when we get a president that respects the nation and isnt just using the office for personal gain
Report Post »trooper
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:49amWhy not? It‘s not like it’s costing him a dime.
Report Post »TxMadMac
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:38amThis puts him over the top for vacations .Of gwb’s 8 yrs, the vacations he took were all at his ranch in Texas. It’s like screw you america, i‘m gonna ride this gravy train all the way to the end and I don’t care how bad you’re hurting !
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:53amumm Peppa he was QUOTING the article, but thats ok
Report Post »Reaganette
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:05amBig slap in all of our American’s faces. Thanks Obama! May I have another? Oh yes, you are going to Kenya in September, around the 14th? I’ll be trying to find a way to pay my power bill about that time, thanks for the FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE!
Report Post »Bushie
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:25amBoth him and his wife are PIGS out to screw America as much as they can. They hate this country and all that it stands for. What gets me more is, the STUPID American people that are so blind to his BS. Let’s get rid of this anti-American as$ then work on the other Rep and Dem greedy creeps out there as well. I view them all as RATS with brack and michele as king and queen RAT.
Report Post »Bushie
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:35amUnemployment at record levels, housing imploding, stock market crashing, lost AAA rating, gas prices out of sight and going higher, refusing to seek fuel sources within our country, 3 war fronts and trying to start a 4th. front in Libya (without congress approval), foreign countries are allowed to drill off our coast where American countries can ‘t, he has spent more money in his first two years in office then all previous presidents “combined”, he gives high positions within his administration to admitted Communist and an ex-con, has a VERY shady past inundated with shady associates, allowing companies that he have given large donations to his election campaign such as GE to make record profits and pay zero taxes, allows special consideration to union thugs and makes them a regular guest at the white house, besmirches America while traveling the world, him and his wife abusing the use of resources like flying Air Force One and opting to use the helicopter then the limo to travel less than 3 miles away from the white house, going out of the country while American people suffer with total losses due to storms, etc, etc.
Report Post »History repeats itself. Nero fiddled while Rome burned, obama golf’s and vacations while America burns.
GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOU A$S America, this is not a Demarcate Republican thing it’s just common sense. Let’s take OUR AMERICA BACK, it’s not his!
one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:35am@PEPPA But I guess you do not have to make an excuse for hate. We all know where it derives from…
And where does it come from ? Let me guess, racism right ? lol another lib pulls the race card out, very surprising, NOT !!.
Report Post »questioningwithboldness
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 5:23pmThe news media does not care if it is FACT or FICTION! They spout stuff and the general public laps it up as FACT. Where is Cindy SHEEHAN?? She should be out picketing the vineyard compound after all we are now in 3 or more WARS! She and CODE PINK were plants to trash GWB and make him look bad and the news media went along with it all the way down the road. Sick of the news media and all the false li e s they are spouting to save this adm for 4 more years. WE can not afford 4 more. We are already broke people!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »golfprez
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:16amPeppa, love your spirit and the fact that you pray for the president and his family. However, if I follow your common sense logic then, they should sleep in separate houses, take separate planes and buses everywhere; not appear in public events together and on and on for security reasons right? We’re talking about a few hours difference in boarding a plane for vacation with double security teams, limos, helicopter rides etc. We should pray for our leaders, but we should also hold them to the same common sense methods of spending our tax dollars as we might in planning for our own vacations–in fact, because it’s not their money, they should lead by example, not by excess.
Report Post »Living In NYC
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:26amPeppa..if it such a security risk then maybe they should not leave the White House…
People are financially dying in this country..close to 4 trillion dollars were lost in the stock market alone this month! Close to 20% of the population is under-employed or unemployed (Personally I have taken a 40% pay cut)! Homes are worth 20% to 50% less than 2008 and 15% of the homes are sitting vacant in the United States. We have 15% of the population on food stamps and government assistance! People are now being divided by religous class, racial / ethnic class and finacial class at an alarming rate since 2008!
This is way this is a big story….everyone is tightening their belts and the Prez thows it in our face with two Candian made bues valued at over $2 million dollars (I used to get a new car every three years…and pay cash..now I drive a car with over 200,000 so I can support my family).
Then he stays a $50 thousand dollar a week vacation home in the same area with the people he DEGENERATES for being “FAT CATS” and “JET OWNERS”…such a hypocrisy!
Report Post »Fastsam
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:46amSorry Peppa you are wrong again. You are not the fist to post. To the back of the line please.
Report Post »one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:25am@PEPPA <<< I cannot believe I am the very first to post. I really do not understand why this is even a story Mr Beck. Why do you constantly put biased stories on your website, just to continue to rile certain types of people up.. Lets review #1, you're not first to post.. # 2, It's a story when this guy is a millionaire spending OUR money like a drunken sailor, also, Beck isn't an editor on the Blaze the only way he would know this story is on here would be to come to the site and click on the link.. And last but not least, why do you say constantly put biased stories on here ? How could you know since you are only a member since : August 12, 2011 ??.. << Yes you have to be careful posting on the blaze, we blazers have a tendency to do research, unlike the lib websites spewing lie after lie because the sheep with just follow..
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