[UPDATED] Obama’s Insensitive World

Original post at 73wire.com

Update below.

It’s no secret that President Obama has a golf addiction and that Michelle Obama can officially be called a “golf widow.”:  But the media silence and the left’s defense is rather humorous as golf tends to be an elitist sport–exactly the image the left does not want to portray.

Remember during the campaign, Obama called it “country club economics” while using a picture/video of John McCain and former president George H.W. Bush (Bush 41) arriving at a press conference via golf cart.:  Oh, the hypocrisy–after Obama arrived at the G8 at Deerhurst Resort–guess what he traveled in–you guessed it, a golf cart. Country club economics, indeed.

The left taking that photo and video out of context (imagine that) is quite offensive (imagine that), while their defense of Obama’s golfing is laughable by any double standards.:  And Americans bought the perception hook, line, and sinker–even when Bush, McCain, and the two others weren’t in golf garb, and the media knew they were headed to the press conference.

To that end, let’s examine Obama’s golf and former president George W. Bush’s (Bush 43) golf outings.:  According to this report by Keith Koffler:

The former community organizer’s 41 trips around the links — a standard of recreational activity well beyond the budgets of most Americans — compares to only 24 total outings for former President George W. Bush, according to statistics compiled by White House chronicler Mark Knoller of CBS News.

Bush’s last round of golf was on October 13, 2003 and he commented to Politico some time later:

“I don’t want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf,” he said. “I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.”

Americans have every right to be critical of Obama at this point as he is so disconnected and apathetic from Afghanistan and most factors plaguing Americans, including unemployment, the Gulf oil spill, the non-recovering economy, and suffering small businesses.:  The media was ever so critical of Bush and the Republicans as country clubbers that they ignore Obama consistently playing at some of the most prestigious courses in the country during these troubled times where we have Obama nationalizing several segments of the US economy and a record number of people on food stamps, in addition to a record number of foreclosures, bank closings, and national debt.

Moreover, golf is most definitely not a poor-man’s sport as average greens fees hover around $60 per person for 18 holes with a cart.:  It also takes about five hours to shoot 18 holes as Koffler notes:

With the excursions lasting on average at least five hours, the president has devoted a total of more than 200 hours to golf, not counting time spent on the White House putting green. That’s the equivalent of twenty five eight-hour work days, or five work weeks spent smacking golf balls.

There aren’t many middle class Americans who can afford to take that time off in this economy–especially the self-employed.

There is also another aspect to Obama’s golf outings–what about Michelle and the girls, Sasha and Malia.:  They appear to be an afterthought on so many weekends and even on Father’s Day and the morning of July 4–Malia’s 12th birthday–both of which Obama played golf.

Obama’s narcissism shows his blatant insensitivity for his wife, his daughters, the plight of the American people, and the fallen.:  Finally, Obama’s apathy, his dependency on teleprompters, and country club play time truly makes one wonder, who really is in charge because he’s on a permanent holiday:  and it’s always party time at the White House.:  Seriously, he just got back from vacation, shouldn’t he get to work?

UPDATE::  Obama now wants federal employees to cut travel:

President Barack Obama wants federal workers to cut down on business travel and commuting by car as he seeks to reduce heat-trapping emissions produced by the federal government.

The White House was announcing Tuesday that the government will aim to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from indirect sources like employee driving by 13 percent in 2020, compared with 2008 levels.

Shouldn’t Obama take a page out of his own book? How about not flying the first dog, Bo, to Maine on a separate jet with, er, some staffers.:  Furthermore, Obama really just doesn’t get it as reported:

Baldacci noted the smile on the president’s face when he got off the plane, and he said he told Obama that it was his hope he would have the opportunity to enjoy Maine and a great lobster dinner while he was here.

“The president stressed to me that the trip was not considered a family vacation, but rather a Saturday and Sunday with his family in Maine,” said Baldacci.

As for what that seemingly simple gesture will mean for the state, Baldacci called it a “great boost” to Maine’s economy.

“It will be a shot in the arm for the entire state,” said Baldacci. “The weather is agreeable this weekend, the timing is perfect and the fog has even lifted.” emphasis mine

Yes, Baldacci, we all get that where the president vacations is potentially another tourist hot spot, that’s why he should have gone to the Gulf coast instead. After all, he and Michelle did say it was a great place and to come on down to the Gulf.:  So, why didn’t they to set an example for the rest of the country, were they afraid of:  little oil?

I bet all of us Americans could you a weekend away in Maine, or frankly, anywhere, and a lobster dinner.:  Sigh.

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