Barack Obama's Vacation

[erpowers]

What do DUers think about President-elect Barack Obama's Hawaii vacation, specifically the fact that he is renting an $8 million home? I do not have a problem with the vacation, but I do not think anyone should be upset if someone makes an issue out of it when Obama supporters made an issue out of John McCain's wealth. In addition, many people made the contrast between John McCain's wealth and Barack Obama's I guess you could say modesty. So, I am just wondering how DUers feel about the vacation considering some people a big deal out of McCain's wealth. I always knew Obama was wealthy and I did not have a problem with that wealth. I am just wondering how people feel about the renting of the house.

[PassingFair]

1. Don't care. n/t

[lonestarnot]

2. If he can meet his jobs goal, I don't care if rents the entire Waldorf.

[shraby]

3. He probably needed one that could be easily secured

by his security people. I would venture to guess, it's set in a not to crowded area which means it's a more expensive place. Most housing is expensive in Hawaii so having seclusion would up the price a lot. I'm not going to argue his choice.

[ClarkUSA]

4. Barack Obama earned his $$$, unlike McCain, so your analogy is faulty at best.

Why shouldn't a man who happens to be the future president spend his money on family friendly vacations at secure locations?
He's also with a gaggle of longtime friends, and they're all splitting the cost of the property as they always have donel.

[caledesi]

24. I agree! nt

[Mari333]

5. as long as he is using his own money.

the wealthy are out of touch with the plebians (us). They have no clue as to what it is to live on 8 bucks an hour. Congress did, after all, just vote itself a pay raise. There is a kings class in this country, and a serfs class. not much in between these days.
I would respect a politician who lived on 8 bucks an hour a lot more then a wealthy one, to be quite honest with you.

[cali]

6. I think your post is absolutely ridiculous and

worthy only of scorn.

[Lerkfish]

10. well, now that I think of it, scorn implies interest

probably it deserves to be ignored.

[erpowers]

39. Asking Questions

I do not see anything wrong with asking questions. People reacted a certain way during the election and I wanted to know how people would react now.

[Lerkfish]

7. funny how no one asked these questions of the bush family

or the cheneys.


:shrug:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. Or to go back into the past, Nixon and Reagan and their estates.

[Lerkfish]

20. yeah, it kinda makes me think the unspoken word is "uppity".

how dare the black guy stay at a large building that's expensive...when we NEVER heard how expensive the places were with the white guy. Hell, mccain couldn't even count how many places, but that's okeydoke, just don't let the black guy stay at a nice place.

[caledesi]

25. You are so right! nt

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

31. It's ok. His vacation got the Chuck Todd seal of approval today on The Today Show.

He brought up that Hawaii might seem special to lots of people, but this was Obama's home state. He also mentioned all of the Pres. who had expensive vacation homes of their own... ie Reagan, Papa Bush, Nixon and Shrub's ranch.

[Captain Hilts]

27. You weren't paying attention. People sure did. nt

[Lerkfish]

33. I guess I wasn't, then, because I so don't recall it at all in the MSM.

[Captain Hilts]

35. Yes, there were regular tallies of his weekends at Camp David and his nearly weekly...

that's right "nearly weekly" flights to Texas.

I think the difference is that no one really wanted GWB in his office, and a large % didn't expect him to be there all that much. The 9 to 5 presidency with two hour lunch/workout break, and all.

[Captain Hilts]

44. I just saw his 3 helicopter flight head to Camp David. nt

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. He is vacationing in the state where he was born and raised. It might be an 8 million dollar home

but you don't mention the rental fee.

I would think the Obamas would have to stay at a place that would be logistic in order to protect them.

No biggie at all.

[MiniMe]

9. He has been on the campaign trail for 2 years, he earned it

He started on the transition the day after the election, and has been working steadily every since. A weeks vacation over the Christmas holiday is fine with me. Nothing would get done this week anyway. He needs to take a break.

[Liberal In Texas]

11. I have no problem with him taking vacations. And he doesn't have to stay at Motel 6.

He'd have a hard time taking as many vacations as * did while he was in office.

[bunnies]

13. Lots of people rent homes when they vacation on an island.

Why should I care? :shrug:

[Xenotime]

14. He deserves it. It's been a rough year. The RW machine is going to be tough in 2009

[elleng]

15. No prob

with ANY pres' vacation plans.

Remember Clintons ALWAYS stayed at 'fancy' digs belonging to 'friends.'

O's fortune/misfortune that he's got Hawaiian family history, AND great tradition of spending time with close group of friends (from Chicago.) Keep in mind extraordinary security matters.

[DainBramaged]

16. So what this is the last real vacation he gets for 4 years

DU, where concern for concern concerns everybody. Oh and Obama isn't wealthy, I don't know where you got that idea.

[erpowers]

37. Read the Post

Read my post correctly. I said I always knew Obama was wealthy and I did not care about him being wealthy, but since others seemed to have made a big deal about the wealth of other people I was wondering how people felt about Obama renting an $8 million home.

[DainBramaged]

43. I read it, and you have NOTHING to question. If I go to a hotel and rent a room

does the value of the hotel come into play? You are beating a dead horse for the sake of beating it.

[ecstatic]

17. How much does it cost to rent a home worth 8 million?

I doubt he's actually paying 8 million.

[cali]

18. I think I read it's about $3,800 a day but he's splitting the compound

with two other families.

[CTyankee]

21. In today's economy, I bet they got a good deal! n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

30. A little less than $1300 a day for a family of four. Less than some high end resorts.

[alsame]

19. I want him (and his family) well protected and safe. He can spend

whatever he wants on his family vacations, it's his money not ours.

[cmf]

22. This is the first time I have heard the value of a home a politician was renting

It's just a ploy to paint Obama as elitist. Here's a clue - real estate prices on the island of Oahu are expensive. Especially if that place has a view desirable to vacationers. Hawaii is where he grew up and he's visiting family and saying goodbye to his grandmother. I wish people would give him an effing break.

[Pharlo]

29. And, in addition to those factors you just listed,

With the MESS the current idiot is leaving behind, this may be the last decent vacation he gets for at least 4 more years.

[ThomWV]

23. As George Bush prepares to take his 500th vacation day in office I have to wonder who cares?

[Captain Hilts]

26. Fine, except he was a basketball player during the campaign and he's morphed into a golfer now. nt

[NeedleCast]

28. Don't care

[LynneSin]

32. Is he paying for the home himself? Then BFD

The guy deserves a nice vacation.

I think we have better things to rant about than this.

[Catherine Vincent]

34. He's renting an $8 million dollar home?

So what? He can afford it. And it's not like he paid $8 million dollars for it.:eyes:

[Dukkha]

36. as long as he's not like our lazy lame duck and set a record for vacations

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/11/politics/uwire/main3927378.shtml

an astounding 879 days at his ranch in Crawford, that article was written May 11th so it's probably more now.

[Ioo]

38. He is renting it, not owning it... I stayed in a $1 Billion hotel once... McCain OWNED them HUGE DIF

I mean this post is just dumb

[Sebass1271]

40. iS HE PAYING $8 MILLION TO STAY THERE? OR IS what

the house is WORTH? MAJOR DIFFERENCE!!

[WillieW]

41. Do you have a link?

[Sebass1271]

42. i JUST READ, he is renting it with two other families

so, it will be around $1,300 per day.. that' not a bad deal.. the media is so screw up.. why doesnt' th emedia tell the WHOLE STORY? they report as if Obama is paying $8 million.!!...

jack assesss....