For once, Robin Givhan and I are in total agreement. I would make only one additional point. This episode gives us a window into the thinking of the Obamas. They don’t consider the trappings of power to be privileges, but rather an entitlement. The presidential perks—security details, motorcades, Air Force One—exist more to support their personal stardom than the office of the presidency. Most professional athletes are expected to look presentable when traveling with their teams because coaches and owners want to project a positive image. The good news is the because of the uproar, Michelle’s dingy short shorts seem to have been permanently retired.
TRAITS OF NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER
• [The narcissist] is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
• [The narcissist] shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
—DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS
THE NEVER-ENDING VACATION
Officially, the Obamas had only two vacations in 2009: a weeklong stay at a $20 million estate on Martha’s Vineyard and their Christmas vacation in Hawaii. But the truth is the Obamas have been very generous to themselves with vacation time.
The weekend before the Obamas’ trip to Martha’s Vineyard, the whole clan visited the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. The “official justification” for the jaunt? According to USA Today, the Obamas were there to “spotlight the National Park Service’s fee-free weekends, and to encourage park visitation.” If only the cost of Air Force One and the entire presidential detail were “fee-free” for the American taxpayers.
According to the Chicago Tribune, a Government Accountability Office report in 2000 revealed that it costs $67, 000 dollars to operate Air Force One domestically, for each hour in flight. That means that the family hike through the national parks probably cost taxpayers nearly a million dollars.
Immediately following the summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, the Obama family headed to the presidential retreat, Camp David, for five more days of fun in the sun. The president was “looking to get a break from his vacation,” Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told Politico on August 28, 2009.
Considering the economic condition of the country, one would imagine the president would scale back any extraneous travel and jet-set only when necessary. He certainly has no problem calling for restraint from heads of private industry.
On February 9, 2009 in Elkhart, Indiana, the president had a message for those banking CEOs who had accepted his federal bailout:
“You can’t get corporate jets. You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers’ dime. There’s got to be some accountability and some responsibility, and that’s something that I intend to impose as president of the United States.” He obviously meant to impose this standard on everyone but himself!
Never once does Obama question the lavish expenditures racked up by him and his family as they crisscross the globe to do little more than sightsee and enjoy themselves. It is fantastic that the president wants to expose his daughters to the wonders of the world and wine and dine his glamorous wife in far-flung ports—but he should stop using taxpayer dollars to do it.
Obama traveled to more foreign destinations in his first year in office than any president in history (with less to show for it than any president in history). And when the president makes an international visit, his family rarely misses a chance to tag along and extend the itinerary to suit their own interests.
THE DIARY OF FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA
ROME, ITALY
July 8, 2009
I am so damn tired of the media criticizing our “working trips.” Yes, that is what this is: a working trip! Every member of this family works damn hard on these international voyages. I’ve spent half the day in hair and makeup—which is much more draining than it sounds. Looking beautiful is tough work. When I saw that poor fireplug of a German chancellor, Merkel, the other day at a G-8 event, for a moment I thought: it might be nice to kind of let myself go the way she has, and never have to worry about makeup or how my hair looks again. Then she came over to say hello and I banished those thoughts immediately. That woman is butt ugly up close . . .
The European media is complaining about the cost of Barack traveling with the family. Well, he’s a family man! He loves his family and why shouldn’t we travel with him? Why should Reggie have all the fun?
No one even considers the economic stimulus we provide when we visit one of these foreign countries—and I’m not talking about Barack. Just look at our girls’ trip to London last month. Taking the children to see The Lion King on the West End will probably keep that show running for another year. The little people want to do whatever we do. When I think of all the actors and singers, waiters and maids that we alone have kept in business, it makes my head spin. Our just walking into an establishment can revive its fortunes for years to come.
Look what happened today—Mama and I took the girls to the Colosseum. The Secret Service made sure that we had it all to ourselves—but I don’t think many people go there. Who but history buffs like us would want to go see a drafty, old stone arena in the middle of Rome? But after we appeared there today, tour buses from all over the world began lining up! I made Malia wear another peace sign T-shirt today. People want to know how we work? This is how we work. My own child was sending a subtle disarmament message to the G-8. Axelrod and Desiree conspired on this one. Who else could pull off that kind of artistic, global messaging? Us—that’s who!
I want to do something special for the girls while we’re here. Last month we went to tea at the prime minister’s house in London and had a birthday celebration at the Sarkozys’ in Paris. Now that we’re in Rome, I’m trying to get Hillary to arrange some kind of concert in our honor at St. Peter’s Square. It’s the least the pope can do. And getting photographed with us could help raise his international profile. Standing next to me, he might actually get his picture in Vogue.
On June 5, 2009, the entire Obama family arrived in Paris. The official business was to commemorate the sixty-fifth anniversary of the D-day invasion in France, but Michelle seemed more interested in plotting the Obama invasion. She and the girls toured the Eiffel Tower, visited Notre Dame, hit a museum, and made time for shopping. Why dwell on the Allied landing on Omaha Beach when you can land yourself a swell holiday on the taxpayers’ dime?
The First Couple snubbed their French hosts by refusing a dinner invitation by President Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni. This was reported to be payback after news reports that Sarkozy was less than impressed with Obama’s grasp of the issues. President Obama’s conceit once again got the best of him, and made him appear petty and vindictive, not to mention supremely thin-skinned. Shoving their rebuke in the faces of the French, the First Lovebirds hit the town, and lingered over dinner alone at the Jules Verne Restaurant. Despite the Obamas’ insult, the Sarkozys opened their residence to the Obama family for brunch on Sunday, June 7. Nicolas Sarkozy led everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” to Sasha Obama, who was only days away from her eighth birthday. Naturally, they presented her with a cake. Yet this was only the beginning of what would be a multiday international celebration.
On Monday, June 8, Dad flew home to Washington, but the rest of his family stayed behind to jet-set off to London to continue celebrating Sasha’s birthday. Michelle, her girls, and Marian Robinson dropped by a pub to have fish and chips (Michelle had a sirloin steak, according to the Washington Post). They visited the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, had tea with the prime minister’s wife, and even found time to catch a performance of The Lion King. On the big day, Sasha’s birthday, Michelle had something really grand planned: a visit to the active set of the last Harry Potter movie. The Obama girls got to tromp through Hogwarts and party with the film’s stars. This would all make for an adorable story, if it weren’t so expensive, and if you weren’t paying for security and the government plane.
The Guar
dian reports that the president regularly travels abroad with a staff of five hundred people—two hundred Secret Service personnel, chefs, a team of doctors, up to thirty-five vehicles (including the presidential limo, Marine One, and several decoys), Michelle’s eight-member staff, and the president’s valet, Reggie Love. On October 7, 2009, McClatchy News Service reported that a Clinton trip to Asia in 2000 cost taxpayers $50 million. The White House refuses to comment on what these family vacations are costing us today.
Regardless of the expense, the family piled into Air Force One for a second European vacation only a month later, in July 2009. This time it was off to Moscow and then to Rome for the G-8 Summit. While Dad conversed with world leaders, the Obama girls visited the big tourist sites and had a great time sampling gelato with the First Grandmother.
In March 2010, they had another family vacation planned: a trip to Indonesia to acquaint the girls with one of the places their father had spent his youth (clearly, a pressing national priority). It was scheduled to coincide with the Obama girls’ spring break in late March (natch). Robert Gibbs offered the lamest of justifications for the taxpayer-funded jaunt: “This trip is an important part of the president’s continued effort to broaden and strengthen the partnerships that are necessary to advance our security and prosperity. Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country, the third largest democracy, is home to the largest Muslim population in the world. . . .” In other words: the president wants his girls to see where he grew up.
The dramatic House vote on his health-care overhaul would frustrate the travel plans, forcing a delay. Politics may have required the president to remain behind, but Michelle Obama and her girls were going on a vacation come hell or high water.
THE DIARY OF FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE
March 19, 2010
There is no way I am going to sit around this house watching C-SPAN all weekend as these fools on the Hill dither over this obvious vote. I told Barack earlier this week, “Nancy and Harry bought all the votes we need. Forget about it. Whether you’re here or not won’t make a bit of difference. We need to get away. We need some time away as a family.” But he didn’t pay me any mind. The girls were so looking forward to seeing Indonesia and Australia. We even had a trip to that koala reserve and a visit with Bindi Irwin planned!
It’s those damn Republicans. If they’d helped out instead of stirring up those tea-baggers, health-care reform would have been signed last Thanksgiving. Now they’ve ruined our Spring Break trip. But I’m going to fix them. They were worried about us spending money on a trip to the East. I can spend federal money traveling to the East right here at home. I told Susan (my chief of staff) to schedule a trip to New York City for a few days. I’m taking my girls to see some Broadway shows and Mama’s never been to the Russian Tea Room. I’ll lock down that city and create so much havoc, the taxpayers will beg us to travel abroad.
There is a certain tone-deaf arrogance that must have overcome the First Lady when she told the high-end magazine Condé Nast Traveler in May 2010, “I felt that my kids learned so much more about the history in Europe than they did here,” referring to eleven-year-old Malia and eight-year-old Sasha. “And I thought, ‘Well, the only way we’re going to do that is to show them, right?’ And you can’t read about it, you have to go to see it. So this summer, I really felt like, instead of putting them in camp, we would have what I called Camp Obama.”
Camp Obama apparently never shuts down. In place of their Indonesian trip, Michelle took her mother and daughters to New York City for several days. They saw the Broadway shows Memphis and Wicked, and visited the Empire State Building and the Russian Tea Room. At least ten Secret Service agents and untold numbers of New York City police were needed to pull off each of their stops.
The First Lady was not in the least bit contrite when she spoke of the logistics of her culinary outings with Condé Nast Traveler. “It’s like, ‘Okay, we’re going to that restaurant, and everyone’s going to get mad, ’cause I’m there eating my hamburger.’ People are excited but . . .”
This is just the sort of thoughtless response one expects from people who are so narcissistic that they think only of their own happiness and discount the feelings, schedules, and everyday lives of the thousands of people they inconvenience to keep Camp Obama up and running.
Without a doubt the most offensive example of the Obamas’ self-indulgent vacationing was when the White House announced that the First Family would head home to Chicago, on May 27, 2010, for the long Memorial Day weekend. This meant the president would skip the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery—which many military personnel and veterans considered an insult. As this incident unfolded the President was coming under intense criticism for his handling of a catastrophic oil spill off the Gulf Coast. For a president to advertise vacation plans while a major region of the country was under a withering environmental assault was abominable and typically self-centered. The White House felt the ferocious blowback and hastily added a presidential drop-by in Louisiana to his vacation itinerary.
RACIAL MISSED MANNERS
For a country that had long struggled with the sin of slavery and the many wounds it created, President Obama’s election represented a historic milestone. He was to be a uniter, a postracial president. Yet during a televised White House press conference on July 22, 2009, he waded into a controversy that he had no business engaging and, in the process, enflamed racial sensitivities.
Obama was asked about the arrest of the African-American Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates by the Cambridge, Massachusetts, Police Department. The police were called by a neighbor who thought someone was breaking into Gates’s home. When Sergeant James Crowley, a white officer, arrived on the scene, he was verbally assaulted by Henry Louis Gates (an Obama friend), who was trying to enter his own home at the time. Gates, according to reports, made threats and yelled profanities at the officer before being arrested for disorderly conduct.
Rather than staying out of what was obviously a local law enforcement issue, Obama read the situation through his own personal prism and threw kerosene on the racially charged story:
I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And number three, what I think we know, separate and apart from this incident, is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That’s just a fact.
Police unions derided the president’s comments and came to the defense of their fellow officer, Sergeant Crowley. James Preston of the Fraternal Order of Police Florida State Lodge said, “To make such an off-handed comment about a subject without benefit of the facts, in such a public forum, hurts police-community relations” . . . “By reducing all contact between law enforcement and the public to the color of their skin or ethnicity is, in fact, counter-productive.”
The president did not for a moment consider the outstanding record of Sergeant Crowley or even pause to give the officer the benefit of the doubt. Instead, our president, who considers himself an expert on all things race-related, shot from the hip and outraged Americans coast to coast. The post-racial president had become the most racial president. Crowley had, in fact, taught classes warning police about profiling suspects based on their race. According to the Boston Globe, he also tried to save the life of Celtics basketball star Reggie Lewis by performing CPR, in 1993.
Obama quickly realized he had stepped in it and issued repeated clarifications and pseudo-apologies for his comments. To put the issue to rest, the president hosted a “beer summit” at the White House, bringing Gates and Crowley together over suds, as if he were brokering a Middle East peace deal. For Obama to try to portray himself as the healer in this situation was ludicrous, but entirely consistent with his audacious track record.
; Obama’s vice president has his own checkered past with racial utterances. In 2006, Joe Biden said, “In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian Americans moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.”
In 2007, then-senator Biden botched it again when he told the New York Observer during the Democratic primaries that Obama was “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” The amazing thing is Biden actually gets away with this stuff—and he’s not alone.
In their 2010 bestselling book Game Change, Mark Halperin and John Heilemann wrote of Senate majority leader Harry Reid: “He was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama—a ‘light-skinned’ African-American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one, ’ as he said privately.”
Had these same words been uttered by a conservative politician or talk-show host, the media condemnation would have been ferocious. But in the case of Harry Reid, liberal Democrats rushed to his defense. The president issued a statement in January 2010: “Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today. I accepted Harry’s apology without question because I’ve known him for years, I’ve seen the passionate leadership he’s shown on issues of social justice, and I know what’s in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.” The Cambridge Police Department and Sergeant Crowley might have appreciated this kind of racial understanding a few months earlier.
Even Michelle Obama felt compelled to defend Reid’s racial stupidity on January 13, 2010: “Harry Reid has no need to apologize to me because I know Harry Reid. I measure people more so on what they do rather than the things they say.”
The Obama Diaries Page 27
