Line of Departure

[SarahB.]

This is so not necessary, and fucking bordering on ridiculous:


earthtimes.org:

Washington/Madrid - US First Lady Michelle Obama and one of her two daughters will take a summer break in Spain, a White House source said Monday.

Mother and daughter would come to the southern holiday resort of Marbella on a "private visit in the company of old friends," the source told the German Press Agency dpa.

US President Barack Obama will not accompany his wife, the source said.

Spanish media reports said Michelle Obama and her younger daughter Sasha, 9, would be on Spain's Costa del Sol between August 4 and 8.

There had been speculation that Barack Obama might also come to Spain to celebrate his 49th birthday on August 4.

Michelle Obama has reserved about 30 rooms for herself and her daughter, their friends and bodyguards at a five-star hotel in Benahavis near Marbella, hotel sources said.

The US first lady did not make any special requests, hotel owner Ricardo Arranz said, explaining that the hotel would function normally during her stay.

Earlier on Monday, sources at the Zarzuela royal palace declined to say whether King Juan Carlos would meet Michelle Obama, stressing that there was no official confirmation of the first lady's visit to Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government had been disappointed in its hopes of hosting Barack Obama when the US president cancelled his participation in a European Union-US summit that had been scheduled during the Spanish EU presidency in the first half of 2010. The summit was subsequently called off.
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“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~~ Confucius

[Dirty]

Let's put the shoe on the right foot. The prez makes $400K in wages, a pretty substantial cut in income from his potential in private practice, but still enough to send the wife and kiddy off to Spain for a holiday. I know folks who make a lot less that do the same.
But I don't suppose that's your objection. I imagine the White House chartered an airplane at taxpayer expense for the security details of both ladies and of course their lodging:

[Daizee]

We've spent tax money on a lot less valuable things.

Afghanistan and Iraq come to mind.
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How in the world did my country end up as a place where citizens are allowed to vote their prejudice against a minority? Unknown

[SarahB.]

So, the wars in Afghanistan (Bush's policies which Obama is extending) and Iraq justify Michele O going to Spain with friends, booking 30 rooms at a 5 star hotel for friends and others ...?!

And, it is my opinion that being an intelligent, talented, affable, attractive lawyer has nothing to do with this shit.

30 rooms, for ... friends? Oh, freakin come on.

The only reason you have responded as such is that they're dummycrats. You would have been off your chairs had it been a rethuglican.


Even the dog gets his own friggin jet, but since he's owned by a fucking democrat, he deserves it.

In my notso humble opinion, this is a total waste, and the Obamas are hypocrites.
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“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~~ Confucius

[Dirty]

[SarahB.]

Okay, point taken. However, I don't think this trip is "humanitarian", right?
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“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~~ Confucius

[Dirty]

Response to Sarah's editted post:

[SarahB.]

[Dirty]

[Daizee]

Just for the record, all first ladies have "gone on vacation" to other countries. Some have gone with their husbands at taxpayer expense. Betty Ford traveled alone sometimes, Even Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird, Roselyn Carter, Jacqueline Kennedy, certainly Laura Bush...already mentioned, Mrs. Roosevelt.
Not all trips were for humanitarian reasons by the first ladies. Some were to cement or encourage better relationships between countries. Michelle Obama will meet with the King and Queen Sophia while in Spain...and she is paying her personal expenses.

I see the unfunded wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all of the money 'lost' there as a much more serious problem (as I also saw Viet Nam...which was funded, I believe...as a waste of human life as well as tax money). I see a big problem with those people being elected who allowed such a company as BP to drill with few safety measures, and to ignore regulations as a much more serious problem than Michelle Obama's social visit to Spain. Such companies, given the go ahead by elected representatives and senators, have damaged our planet, and will continue to do so...the only place we have to live. I see allowing the rich to get by with not contributing their fair share to our government as a big problem.

I'm quite sure I am a hypocrite in some instances, although I try not to be. I am sickened by the weak progress we have made in crawling out of the mess Bush and his majority made...But I keep hoping, and I know damn well, with the exception of a couple of Republican legislators with a conscience, no Republican is going to stand for the people of America. AND, THEY ARE WORSE THAN THE DEMOCRATS, although some who call themselves Democrats should join the Republican party because basically, they've been bought.

So, I think this trip by Michelle could have been postponed, but I don't know what messages she is carrying to the King. In the scheme of things this is a blip of a problem.
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How in the world did my country end up as a place where citizens are allowed to vote their prejudice against a minority? Unknown

[doclotus]

Yes, but Obama's wife doing exactly what prior First Ladies have done doesn't line up with the expectations that he is going part the Potomac, drive the plague of corruption from DC, have Israel and Palestine singing Kumbaya, an d remove race from any consideration in America. He's also reneged on his commitment to Sham-wow ads. People are angry!

Instead, he's proven to be a capable President who does some things that even his supporters disagree with, but he's still be 1000 times more effective than the idiot that occupied the position prior to him.

I measure our leaders in terms of progress, not perfection. The latter standard is a waste of time, especially in the swamps of DC.
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Doc
My Blog

[SarahB.]

I so disagree with what you said, Doc.

But, I'm not going to argue.
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“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~~ Confucius