The Political Cost of the Obamas' Date Night

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There was nothing wrong with that it was probably his own personal money LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!

Kate of RI 8:21PM September 21, 2009

Most of us get to charge the airfare to the company when going to a business conference, meeting, sales apt etc. I wonder if Obama woul dhave flown AF 1 id he had to pay for it. He gets plenty of perks in the lifestyle we provide for him but when it comes to a private night out, the cost should be his start to finish. Time for CHANGE!

Bob Walker of NC 9:58AM August 31, 2009

He is a Show horse. There is nothing elese for the public to cling to. So we cling to his Camalot life. His being a good father and husband. How wonderfull he and his wife look according to Vanity Fair. This is all he got and he needs to give you the show that he can provide. You can not base his Presidentcy on his track record or what he is going to do. Show horse do not pull the plow. They look good, they act good and it is what they do. If you wanted a President that can get things done you backed the wrong horse.

DS of NV 8:11PM August 06, 2009

"...Actually, what Obama did was similar to what his predecessors have done..."
Uh...actually, Ken Walsh, no it's not similar to what his predecessors have done - which is why there was such an uproar about it. I don't recall Reagan or Carter or Bush Sr or Clinton or Bush ever spending up to $250k on one date night. The Obama's certainly do need to "get away" - I have no problem with that. But they should've gone to a local restaurant and theater. So what if they spent their own money for dinner and the show. Big deal. That was no doubt miniscule in proportion to the total evening cost. The Obamas seem to have an attitude of: "let's get it on the taxpayers' dime while the gettin's good" - like the London shopping trip with granny and the girls - before it all comes to an end. Hmmmm....do they know something we don't?

KBB of CA 2:54PM July 21, 2009

It seems that all those in government expect those not-in-government to sacrifice...while those in government give up nothing but take more.

Bill Mulig of NY 8:53AM June 30, 2009

Just to jet off to nY for a date indicates how much an elitist that Obama really is. He could and should have stayed in DC for his date, especially in these difficult economic times. He preaches to everyone else and then spends tax payer money for his own selfish wants.

Pat Ward of NC 8:22PM June 29, 2009

One night out on the town with his wife and the idiots go crazy. What happened or what was said when President Bush spent over three years of his eight year term on his ranch in Texas? What did that cost the tax payers?
If the idiots want to jump all over President Obama, they better look around what they have ignored first.

RICHARD P. JAGIELSKI of FL 9:24PM June 24, 2009

I fully understand the idea that the Obama family needs time away from all of the pressure of the White House. However, when Obama is telling the rest of the "big spender" people to curtail their expenses and the unemployment rate is almost 10% and schools are laying off teachers, cities are limiting their police and fire fighters, he should have used better discretion. It is not like he could not afford a date on his on dime.

Ann Wiggins of FL 12:11AM June 23, 2009

Hello people! Obama cannot change everything overnight. He cannot stop fighting in Iraq with the snap of his fingers. If you are expecting that you need to wake up and see you cannot end war in 100 days.
I think that it is wonderful for Obama and his wife to go out. He has repeataly said that his wife keeps him grounded. If "date night" is what keeps him away from power hungry- I say so be it. He is allowed to go to dinner, and see a show. He needs a break every once in awhile to refocus, maybe relax a little- because after all he is dealing with major issues.
Date night should not even be relevent.

Elyse of AZ 1:00PM June 18, 2009

I am very disappointed that Obama has not ended
our violence against civilians in several countries.
I spent my own money to travel to Iraq and
talked to Iraqi women before and during the present
violence against the country. Please, Obamas, recognize the fact that you and your husband were elected with false pretenses of ending this blood letting. And to quote Voltaire: People will continue to commit
atrocities as long as they believe in absurdities. He
was a French philosopher of another two centuries ago.
Our media is leading the spread of lying litter and
not very inventive untruthful twists of the truth, deceptive multipying of invented false stories spread to trusting but not alert people relying on print and
electronic media to tell them what is not going on.

LaRita Smith of MS 10:27PM June 16, 2009