No one interested in the butcher job the media is doing on Michelle?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Heather Horn Heather Horn – Thu Aug 5, 2:15 pm ET

WASHINGTON, DC – Michelle Obama's trip to Spain--complete with shots of the first lady touring town in a swoon-worthy Jean Paul Gaultier top--is not playing too well in the media. Though the first lady, her daughter, and the first lady's friends assembled for the vacation are traveling as "private citizens," as Press Secretary Gibbs has emphasized, and paying their own expenses, a few columnists aren't wild about the optics during tense economic times.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/20100805/cm_atlantic/michelleobamastriptospaindrawsfire4615_1

This one has a photo. The only thing I could thing of is that hate her because she's beautiful.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/06/michelle-obamas-spain-tri_n_673118.html

[jaxx]

1. The confidence of the Obama's about themselves must drive

the wingers nuts. They'd probably like them much better if they were subservient and just stayed home so nobody could see them. Kept "their place", ya know. :sarcasm:

Have fun Michelle and Sasha....let them eat their hearts out.

[Canuckistanian]

2. And nary a peep about "optics" when Dimson spent months on the "ranch"

Typical.

[GoCubsGo]

15. Or, when his wife took similar trips to Europe.

Or, when his daughters vacationed in the South of France. IOIYAR.

[blondeatlast]

3. Plenty of it; the linked thread is, well, amuuusing:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8883890

[Stinky The Clown]

6. That thread isn't representative

I started it, actually in defense of the Obamas and in criticsim of the media.

Because it was me who posted, may replies were making assumptions, ascribing motives, or filtering based on that fact and not the content. As you can see, it quickly became a food fight.

[blondeatlast]

30. Oh, I know, Stinky. The knee-jerking was what was so, well,

amuuusing.

I give you props for courage and restraint.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. And how much do the Bill Gates or Murdoch families spend in a week?

[gulliver]

5. Should use it to publicize GOP blame for the recession

I would rather not see our Dems defend Michelle with "Laura did it too." I would much rather see us say, "The Republicans created the recession and are slowing down the recovery. Now they are complaining about Michelle Obama's travel expenses. I don't know whether that is just pettiness or chutzpa or both."

[Lilyeye]

35. Good points.

I get tired of the "well they did it to" argument, even though it would be legit in this case. I seriously don't remember Laura being criticized for her trips. If so, I don't remember.

[firedupdem]

7. How dare she? The media sucks. n/t

[dkf]

8. Well we didnt expect that she would be hurting for funds right?

My only gripe is why cant she help stimulate the US economy.

The amount they are spending could have provided a few American jobs right off the bat. The tips alone from this crew would have provided quite a bit for some hurting American citizens.

[stanwyck]

16. Really? We can't also be citizens of the world and travel

to other countries? She is the First Lady of our country. I don't think it's out of bounds for her to make an overseas trip. Some people have a much larger world view...life doesn't begin and end at our borders.

[dkf]

21. Well of course she should go for official duties but this is private.

I just think of all those bellhops doormen valets maids and waiters who are thinking they and their friends could have benefited from a visit. Heck Louisiana was practically begging for a visit.

I went traveling last month and I have to tell you everytime I spend some money or gave someone a tip I felt good that I was contributing to someone else's livelihood especially independent vendors or coffeehouses.

Even when I lost money in Las Vegas I felt like I was filling the piggy bank of the workers there.

[stanwyck]

32. You've got a point. We decided, at the last minute, to go to

Key Largo the week of July 4th. We literally made our reservations (online, of course) Sat. and left Sunday, July 4th. We were lucky to get into a diving resort in Key Largo on that short of a notice at that time of year. The resort had cancellations due to the oil spill...which (so far) hasn't affected The Keys. And, let me tell you, the businesses there were THRILLED to have tourists. We stayed for a week and had a wonderful time, at a very reasonable cost. Families should definitely head to Florida right now. The hotels, restuarants, and beaches have plenty of room. The costs are reasonable. And the people couldn't be nicer.

[HipChick]

33. I wouldn't want anyone telling me where to go on a vacation..

[stanwyck]

36. Gotcha. Afterall, it's a vacation.

Kinda defeats the idea of relaxation and a change of pace if it's mandated.

[Iggo]

9. Nope, not really.

Rich Woman Goes On Vacation. Spends Money.

Howl! Howl!

ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

[Bitwit1234]

10. Wonder how many times Bush and Laura and the Cheney's

traveled as private citizens and paid their own way. NADA. But then the media didn't dare tell that. If you reported anything negative about Bush the Secret Service showed up and threatened to put you in jail.

[malaise]

11. I'm following the Obamas on this one

I'm ignoring all of their comments.

[hedgehog]

12. Lest we forget -

http://www.life.com/image/50317909/in-gallery/33362

[GoCubsGo]

22. And, who could forget this?

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/national_world&id=4800480

Or, this:

http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/history/faculty/TROYWEB/LauraBushpreparesforfirstsolotripabroad.htm

And, there are many more examples...

[Taverner]

13. What's the point? The GOP is just going to lie anyway...

And the shit will stick because Americans are at their core, racist individuals who never got over the fact that they can't own other people.

They'll give the benefit of the doubt to whomever attacks the Obamas, and when the facts finally comes out, it will be too late.

Sieg Heil, Chancellor Palin...

[HipChick]

18. +100

[City Lights]

14. I have the corporate media stooges on ignore.

I'm not the least bit interested in anything they have to say.

[Enrique]

17. no hatchet job needed, the trip speaks for itself

I don't have any interest in reading any column about the trip. What's there to say? All you have to do is read a description of the accomodations alongside any discription of the state of the economy and the future that workers are facing.

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. +1

[Upton]

20. +1

[HipChick]

23. Maybe they should of stayed in a Motel 8?

[GoCubsGo]

25. No. She should stay home, and lock herself in her room.

That will keep everyone happy.

:sarcasm:

[SammyWinstonJack]

26. Fancy expensive vacations all around! What you can't afford it? Too Damn Bad!

:eyes:

[GoCubsGo]

39. I can't afford one

But, I don't begrudge anyone else from taking one, other than those who caused my inability to afford one. Michelle Obama had nothing to do with my job being eliminated, and she has nothing to do with me being unable to find another. She spent her whole childhood being unable to afford much of any vacation, and it's a shame people are pissing on her for taking one now.

[GoCubsGo]

24. I lost my job 3 years ago.

I have been scraping by since then. I really don't give a shit where Mrs. Obama takes her vacation, and how much money she is spending on it. She's paying for it out of her own pocket. She could spend a zillion dollars at a fancy resort, or she could stay home, locked in her room in the White House. Either way, it isn't going to bring my old job back, nor will it make a new one for me. "What's there to say?" How about, "Who gives a shit where she takes her vacation?" Because my life sucks, so should hers?

[emilyg]

28. +10

[JI7]

44. hahhaah, so much for not caring about what people do with their money

i guess you aren't consistent

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8808160&mesg_id=8808448

[Zavulon]

42. +1.

I have no interest in a fashionista First Lady's trip when so many people are struggling, especially when the cost of whatever she's wearing at any given moment could feed an entire family for a month or two. I'd prefer no coverage of the trip whatsoever.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Walk away]

27. This is just terrible!

She should stay home all day and take massive doses of Lexapro like Laura Bush.

It's just like a vacation without the luggage.

[kevinbgoode]

29. Gosh yes. . .I've been responding to it in some other discussion forums

and getting some people pis*ed at me. . .haha.

For example, here are three of my latest responses to accusations of Michelle being imperial and a free-spender:

"I can certainly understand how frugal conservatives are with the taxpayers money. I mean, there is that touching story about how tourists visiting the White House would so often see Laura Bush in a housedress and an apron on her hands and knees scrubbing the floors. And those stories about the Bushes, who always flew coach so as to get to know the “little” people. And their amazing foresight in dreaming of building a bridge to nowhere, cuz they figure someday there might be something there to build the bridge to. . .

If we’d only just always vote for Republicans, everything would be just like Leslie Gore used to sing. . .”sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. . .”

and. . .well, this gem:

"I’ll never forget that image of the concerned Bush family, when they flew over New Orleans following the devastating Hurricane Katrina to express their concern. The President has dashed to the scene right after a birthday party. Why, they even made the jet fly as low as possible, so they could wave out the windows at the people stranded on the rooftops. I’ll never forget that image of them waving down at the little people with a bottle of water in their hands and a sign that said “Hey, y’all. . .we got cake!”

and this.....hahahaha:

"it must be horribly frustrating to you that Americans don’t seem to understand the sanctity of voting for Republicans. Why, we can trust them with anything, and they’ll never lose or misspend a dime.

We are so fortunate that the loss of billions in the Iraqi desert really wasn’t the fault of the GOP. . .they accidentally thought it was a faith-based subsidy being dropped off at one of Pat Robertson’s mining facilities.

It is just awful that the American people don’t recognize why God’s Own Party was annointed to oversee us all."


hahahaha

[HipChick]

31. Apparently the Obamas are not independently wealthy and live in PUBLIC housing

and since the taxpayers also bought President Obama's book, technically their own income is also taxpayers money..:sarcasm: I kid you not to some of the ideas being pushed here..

[blondeatlast]

34. No kidding; check out this exchange I had on another thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8883890&mesg_id=8889185

(Just in case you aren't familiar with the "Bless your heart", it's a diss in Suthun-speak (my roots Luzianne, like the tea!)

[GoCubsGo]

41. I hope you were not referring to a comment I made there

about the book royalties being taxpayer's money. I was attempting to rebut a ridiculous comment. I guess didn't do such a good job... Maybe, I should have added: :sarcasm:

[rbrnmw]

37. The terrorist blimp Limbaugh was spewing about here is the media matters link

http://mediamatters.org/limbaughwire/2010/08/06#0037

[JerseygirlCT]

38. Where were these people when Bush spent about half his time on vacation?

Boy, they'll turn on Michelle on a dime, won't they? From "we love her!" to "Marie Antoinette" in seconds.

[emilyg]

45. Didn't he just go to his ranch?

[JI7]

48. who gives a shit , he was the President getting paid by taxpayers

[Catherine Vincent]

40. A "friend" of mine on Facebook had the nerve to claim the first lady has no class

She's just a bitter and stupid republican. I'm thinking about dropping her.

[lunatica]

43. She's probably the most popular woman on the planet

Let them complain. They can't turn anyone against her. The only one who can do that is Michelle Obama, and from what I see she just gets more and more popular.

[Subdivisions]

46. Perhaps you could compile the data on Pickles' trips and use that to counter? n/t

[HipChick]

47. Meanwhile the Biden's have been taking AF2 to the Hamptons...with all their security detail

but nah a peep there...for several weeks... hypocrisy at its best