In the history of mankind, many republics have risen, have flourished for a less or greater time, and then have fallen because their citizens lost the power of governing themselves and thereby of governing their state. TR

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Golf is Back! Obama’s 60th Outing as President

Well, the mercury has crept back up above 60 degrees here in Washington, and so it’s time once again for President Obama to head out to the golf course.

This is the president’s 60th time golfing as president, meaning Obama has spent two months of his presidency on the golf course.

The rounds usually take about five hours, including motorcading back an forth to the course.

According to statistics compiled by CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, who keeps close tabs on the president’s activities, Obama played 30 rounds in 2010, 28 rounds in 2009, and two this year, including today.

George W. Bush gave up golfing in 2003, explaining why he did it in a 2008 interview with POLITICO.

“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.”

Some think Obama should follow Bush’s example. But Obama clearly is addicted to the game and probably feels he needs to play to get his mind off of Washington, generally choosing the company of young administration staffers instead of lawmakers or senior aides.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is an avid golfer too, and unlike Obama, plays with lobbyists.

Obama’s on the links with his usual posse. From the pool report:

The president, in a black cap and light black jacket, emerged from the White House at 1 p.m. for what I believe is the President’s first golf outing this year stateside. A 10-vehicle motorcade departed a minute later and stopped at all stop signs and mixed with traffic for the uneventful 22-minute ride to Andrews AFB.

POTUS’ golfing buddies today include Ben Finkenbinder of the press office, Marvin Nicholson, the president’s trip director and David Katz, a Dept of Energy staffer.

544 thoughts on “Golf is Back! Obama’s 60th Outing as President”

  1. Golf. For Pete’s sake . . . it’s a rich man’s game.

    I can take basketball, even a ‘do-round’ in D.C. with fruitcake FOB’s – but golf is too much. When Bush played golf I despised it also, gritting my teeth because it showed how SO f—–g out of touch the rich, elite politicians are with the rest of America.

    He can’t even play it with masculinity. Everything about this President is elite, prissy, almost asexual: the girl’s bike he rode, the silly female biking helmet on Martha’s Vineyard.

    After he leaves the White House I am positive President Obama will do drag.

    1. Good God, Tom; what rock have you been living under? Anyone can play golf and it’s not been a rich man’s game since the 1950s. In fact, the PGA made a concerted effort in the 70s to get more of the “common folk” to play. I played in the 80s when I was a school teacher making about $12,000 per year. I wasn’t rich but played 2 or 3 times a week. Have you ever tried to play? Do you know which end of a club to swing? You sound like another angry, bitter liberal. Try golf. It will change your life.

    2. Golf isn’t necessarily a rich man’s game. I’m nearly broke and I play. Our country is littered with hundreds of inexpensive public courses than can be played for less than the price of a movie ticket and popcorn.

    3. I assume that you are more often that not preoccupied with anyone’s sexuality? Nothing this president does has anything to do with whether one is “effeminate” or no and to compare Obama to anything female is quite offensive actually…yes it’s funny but seriously.

  2. I have never seen a politician and his wife care about appearances as little as the Obamas. It’s pretty incredible really, and it makes me think either that they think people are so stupid they’ll vote for Barack’s re-election no matter what they do, or they’re riding the gravy train as fast and as hard as they can until they get bounced back to Chicago or Hawaii or wherever next year.

    1. Its because he’s royalty. That’s why he can declare laws he doesn’t like unconstitutional, and he continues to implement Obamacare even though its been declared unconstitutional. And when a judge tells him his ban on drilling in the Gulf is without substance, he ignores it and continues the ban. We didn’t elect a president, we elected a king.

      1. What do you mean “we”. I didn’t vote for him. I am ashamed that sadly people did. Says a lot about the downhill spiral this once great country is in. So sad….

        1. Joe, I was using the collective “we”. I voted for Palin, with McCain along for the ride. I have no idea why so many people were bamboozled into voting for the guy.

          1. Bush was a monarch. His (mis)use of executive decisions was legendary. He circumvented every check and balance with no second thought. More than any president in history, look it up. Pretty ironic that you picked that argument to take a shot at the current administration. But then again… I am surprised people that voted for Palin are even smart enough to form a complete sentence, let alone navigate the internet.

          2. As a psychologist I am alarmed at how many Obama supporters use childish banter to make their point: “I am surprised people that voted for Palin are even smart enough to form a complete sentence, let alone navigate the internet.” In psychology we were taught early what signs point to true cases of deeply set insecurity and self distrust. It is sentences like the one above that sums up. I will offer “people are dumb” some free counseling if he/she is interested, but sorry I won’t take his Obama Insurance because I will never get a check anyway…may as well make it pro bono to begin with.

    2. “it makes me think either that they think people are so stupid they’ll vote for Barack’s re-election no matter what they do”

      um… about 50% of them are dude.

    3. Don’t feel puzzled. They don’t care. Hell — just LOOK at them and what they do.

      Yet the hypocrite liberals who constantly slammed Bush for the slightest perceived misstep? Dead silent, or making excuses for the O’s unparalleled excesses.

    4. Not Hawaii. Hawaii was a campaign tool and so was his now-dead grandmother. Before he decided to run for Prez Obama’s closest tie to Hawaii was as a stash for his birth records.

      “Now listen to me man-child, I’ve got a deal for you….give me the secret of Man’s red fire, so I can be like you…oh scooby doo…I wanna be like you hoo hoo…..”
      King Louie

    5. I notice you think Maobama will be leaving the WH in 2012. Here are some facts for your consideration.
      ! – Acorn Several million members working on votes and reg.
      2 – New Black Panthers Working on votes and reg
      3 – Americorps Several million and growing.

      Maobama will by 2011 campaign time have his ground troops in place making it totally impossible for any GOP or IND candidate to defeat him. Get used to his smiling face, it’s going to be looking out at you for a long time.

      Wally Pieper
      311 N River Rd
      McHenry, Illinois 60051
      623 695 4654
      wally@wallypieper.ws

  3. I just was going to come back with the 60 number. Maybe I overlooked it at first . Mark Knoller had 57 but I remembered he played 2 more times in Hawaii so today’s is 60. Can we see 100? Yes We Can,

    1. I figured out why he plays so much golf ….. He going to lower the unemployment to 4% by getting everyone jobs a caddies!!!

  4. A ten vehicle motorcade?

    I guess the Federal government gets some kinda ‘discount’ on ‘bulk’ gas/fuel purchases…and what is this ‘stopping at stop signs’ (how original) and MIXED with traffic? Does that mean the stretch, armored limo was in traffic with rusty Camrys and redneck driven F-150s?

    Could someone ‘inside’ have gotten the meme that the extravagance is wearing thin with the serfs?

    1. As much as it has cost this country’s taxpayers for obama’s 60 golf outings, they could have put a gold course on the white house grounds and saved us all a bunch of money. They wouldn’t have to motorcade anywhere, or have so many secret service men traveling with him… he could just invite people over to golf. No golfing fees… it really would save us taxpayers a TON of money.

    2. I also wonder how much it’s costing this country to have about a million Ford Crown Vic’s with police interceptor engines, idling around the clock.
      Has to be billions!
      We should make them all drive Yugos.

  5. Actually, President Obama is more lazy and eager to escape doing any detailed work, than he is to golf. But Golf is an elitist game, unlike basketball, so he pursues golf for his image. He is actually a poor golfer, but all of his “minyons” are forced to accompany him, as well as the ss, and it builts his ego power image of himself.

    He is a terrible executive, unable to reach rapid decisions and then implement them. His presidency is sinking into the realm of impeachment more and more each day that passes.

  6. The guy has no principles and no understanding of the job to which he was elected: To serve the people of this nation. Obama plays while millions of Americans are jobless and homeless. He will go down in history as the most self-indulgent, selfish U.S. president.

  7. Obama is a moron, completely insensitive to the war and the daily casualties. Why isn’t he visiting wounded soldiers, as President Bush did whenever he had time away from the duties of the Oval Office. In fact he visited almost weekly and always without the press. Obama doesn’t go to the bathroom without the press. He is a con artist, a complete empty suit and shame on the electorate for voting such a complete incompetent into the most demanding office in the world. ANd we are suffering every minute of the day at the hands of is incompetence………

    1. You know another thing Obama could be doing that I could at least say here is ONE thing he is doing right? Go to black communities and give “Bill Cosby”-type speeches urging people to rely on THEMSELVES, not the government. For fathers to TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS. What an incredible opportunity is being WASTED by this man! But these philosophies go against every fiber of this mans’ being and thus those speeches will never be given….

      1. Mad Mike,

        GREAT POINT.

        Obama could have used his position to exalt the common man within the black community: young children born out of wedlock, drug addicted felons, gang leaders, young children, young mothers … and used the bully pulpit of the White House to talk to them about finishing school, staying off drugs and going straight.

        Hell no.

        Mr. Obama is spending time playing golf today. Why? Working on his swing is more important.

        1. And why isn’t he doing that? At this point I have to conclude he is another Al Sharpton-Charles Rangel type: Better exploiter than inspirer……very sad for this country. The first black man in the history of this nation. And instead of doing something I, as a conservative could get behind, he does it…….never.

  8. Say what you will about Mr. Bush, at least he had some class. Obama lacks a spine as well as compassion. He won’t be missed except by China and all those world leaders he kept bowing down before. How much damage will he inflict on our nation before his weak ideals are rejected ? Keep fiddling Mr.Obama, keep fiddling…

  9. Hey! Come on guys! President Obama worked VERY hard at fundraisers in the the last few days.

    It’s going to cost him 1 Billion to con the American people ONE MORE TIME.

    It’s not cheap to “win the future”.

    And I have it on VERY good authority that once he gets re-elected, he PROMISES to pivot and FOCUS like a LASER on jobs!!!

    1. NO, all it is going to cost him is to sign an executive order making all the illegal aliens citizens, to get their vote, right before elections, and voilla! president once again. He knows he lost the white vote, the independent vote and the black vote, his only hope now is to have people who broke the law to vote him in to office.

  10. If you’re waiting for any definitive action from Obama on the Libyan crisis, he’ll dither for a month or two to be certain which way the prevailing winds are blowing; and, then blunder in on his White Horse carrying his teleprompters with a flowery speech proclaiming the critical role that he had played behind the scenes. Gaddafi is not the only one who should be forced from office. A Plan For Action: if the U.S. sits on the sidelines throughout a protracted Libyan civil war, we not only will further degrade our prestige in the region; but also, forfeit the leverage to influence future events to the detriment of American interests. Decisive intervention without the risk of loss of American life is can be readily achieved. Employing F-22s flying out of Italy with tanker support can obliterate Lybian: airfield fuel depots; ammo storage areas; exposed aircraft on airfield ramps; decommission airfield runways; adjacent support facilities; and, command and control nodes, ALL without penetrating Libyan airspace and well outside of Libyan air-defense assets by launching precision-guided munitions from extended ranges in a roll-back tactic. Discussion about enforcing an umbrella like no-fly zone over Lydia is misguided. By effectively denuding Gaddafi of his decisive advantage in air-support assets, the Rebels will soon prevail in their attempt to bring down a brutal dictator and supporter of terrorism throughout the region. Terrorism that has all too frequently been directed at United States interests. Concurrent covert activities to establish bridgeheads with favorable Rebel leadership could well bias the conflict to America’s interests. A decisive dominance of the F-22 in such an encounter, would as well expose the short-sighted and ill-advised action to pre-maturely cancel the F-22 production line. Greg Neubeck

    1. Finally, a decisive plan of action! But unfortunately this loser-in-chief is too busy golfing, partying, vacationing, taking staff on vacations, his wife taking friends and family to Spain, and lecturing the nation on how fat we all all are, all while eating a nearly 2000 calorie barbecue rib dinner! The king and Queen of the United States, need to abdicate their throne. Where is the recall petition, I want to sign one!!!! I am just curious as to how many Libyans died for every hole he played, you know hole to death ratio!!!

  11. When Obama plays gulf it’s because at that particular time he is of no use to his puppet-master handlers in DC. What else is he supposed to do?? Obama is little more than an empty suit who says what David Axelrod wants him to say when Axelrod wants him to say it. His job encompasses reading speeches written for him, off a Telepromtor…..then playing Gulf….or partying…..or vacations.

  12. Obama is so lame. He is using the presidency to enjoy the perks, while obviously he is too incompetent to govern. I cannot wait until he is booted out. What a bum!

  13. Please remember, President Bush refrained from playing golf after The 911 attack. He did not continue to run to the links when things were going downhill in this country. Obama just wants to be King, he is not up to the chores of being President and protecting the American people and keeping our Constitution.
    I hope we can make it to the next election and he does not completely ruin us.

  14. I figured out why he plays so much golf ….. He going to lower the unemployment to 4% by getting everyone jobs a caddies!!!

  15. Have to say, as an elitist, right-wing, capitalist pig golf nut, I like the the fact the President plays golf. Even more so that he’s playing at Andrews AFB instead of Congressional CC. I hope the pool reporters give us a story of the Prez having a beer with the rank and file in the clubhouse after the round. What a thrill it would be for those airmen to talk to him regardless of politics.

  16. That’s funny, I DO recall every vacation (whether it was a working one or not) outing, picnic or bike ride by George W. being roundly criticized, yet this guy lives like Marcos in the Philippines and no one says boo. Journalism is indeed dead….

  17. “But Obama clearly is addicted to the game and probably feels he needs to play to get his mind off of Washington”

    Pure BS. Seeing how Obama bows to foreign royal persons he is just a snob. Snob who thinks playing golf will make the community organizer a gentleman.

    1. Good point.

      Barack Obama is indeed a snob. His color is OF NO ISSUE. He’s a snob because he has a since of world-wide entitlement. As does his wife. Why eat like the commoners when you can throw down a prime rib with the uber-rich in Vail.

      Obama is a snob because he see’s the common man as a problem when government is not involved.

  18. Obama apparently believes in the tenent ‘there is no bad publicity’. His objective is getting free press coverage (preferably with picture in the paper) and/or a tv appearance even if its only 15 seconds. He thinks no voter can resist his constant grinning and glad-handing. If he has a slow week he uses Michelle and the girls to take over for a few days.

        1. HOW ABOUT THE WAY HE TELLS “thank YOU” – WITH THE EMPHASIS ON THE “YOU” – I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE ENUNCIATE THE PHRASE THAT WAY – DRIVES ME NUTS WHENEVER I HEAR IT – AND HAVE YOU NOTICED HIS RESEMBLANCE TO MUSSOLINI WHEN HE TILTS HIS HEAD BACK AND LOOKS DOWN HIS NOSE AT THE AUDIENCE?

  19. Of course…
    But maybe it’s better he stays on the golf course. When he gets involved with foreign affairs, America always comes off looking like a weak fool!

  20. I live in Canada and it is refreshing to realize that if our leaders play golf or tennis, it is never publicized. I would venture to say that during their stay in office, they might have a round or two of golf but I doubt it. We have troops in Afghanistan and we have unfortunaely had a few Canadian soldiers die there. We take these tragedies seriously. It seems President Obama believes himself one of the chosen ones and his wife appears to be of similar ilk. Enjoying themselves appears to take precedent over the many problems Americans are facing every day. Obama likes the pleasantries of his office and believes himself entitled to all them. He is a great disappointment and I am sure will never serve another term in officw.

    1. Roslyn,

      Just a quick “thank you” from this Texan for the sacrifice those Canadians have made, on our behalf (since we started the war). Canadian soldier have served bravely and honorably since going in theatre several years ago. I saw a funeral of a Canadian engineer several months ago who died in Afghanistan. I wish our President would stand up and thank Canada for its sacrifice. He wont – but we will.

      Canada – thank you.

      Maple Leaf Forever.

      Tom

    2. Thank you, our neighbors to the north.
      If things get much worse, I’d invest in a company that builds housing developments and apartments in Canada. There may be a wave of refugees from the south.
      God Bless You Eh?

    3. Don’t be so sure. After all there are about 30.000.000 either illegal or “chain-gang legal immigrants” in US; add to this about 40.000.000 blacks which will vote for him no matter he actually hurts them; add to them the union thugs and he will start the elections with 80 – 90 millions of votes in advance. Not to mention many of the union thugs and illegal workers will vote several times (no matter they have no right to vote at all).

  21. How does the Obama golf record compare with that of Dwight Eisenhower? I don’t remember many accomplishments of the Eisenhower years but I do remember the frequent press coverage of his golf games.

  22. Good grief, “two months of his presidency on the golf course”???!!!!! What a inflammatory line. First off I am no fan of our current President, he has possibly the poorest prior credentials of any of our past Presidents to hold the office and it shows. But he has not spent 2 months on the golf course. Say the average round is 5 hours X 60 = 300 hrs =12.5 days. And I bet his average round is 2.5 to 3 hours long after all he is not a public course duffer. I have a high pressure life and the golf course is one place I can get away and still conduct business.

    1. You’re assuming Obama works 24 hrs/day. While it may be true that he has to be _prepared_ to act as President 24/7, he also strikes me as a typical federal employee, which means 8 hrs/day if he’s especially motivated (e.g., if there’s a popular sentiment to be circumvented by executive fiat). So 300/8 = 37.5 days = 7.5 weeks (you don’t expect him to work weekends, do you?) = about two months.

  23. Pingback: Obama – Crisis everywhere – where are you? « Daily Musings

  24. I wish he’d spend more time at the golf course, can you imagine how much more our country would be screwed if the usurper was full time?

  25. We have never had such a useless president, other than carter. this man is a mess, he needs to be shown the door. I sure hope the White Guilty voters learned a lesson!!!!

  26. This guy – Barry Soetoro, Barack Hussein Obama – whatever – is a skank. He’s not an American. It is pure and simple. He has no credentials, was a drug using and drug pushing street thug who just happened to be able to read a Teleprompter.

    Thank God (ner Allah) that the middle of America has sen enough ot Barry S. to make a determination for 2012. No one will be intimidated by their vote this time.

  27. What do you expect the day he found out planes were shooting civilians in Libiya he has a Smokey Robinson tribute concert at the White house !!

  28. Bonfire of the Idiocies

    So Boehner plays golf with lobbyists but Obama doesn’t? And are we supposed to infer from that juxtaposition that Obama is somehow “above” their corrupt influence and Boehner isn’t? Because we all know that is a crock of crap.

  29. What is the fascination with Obama and golf? Bush gave it up, but press reports said he road mountain bikes on government compounds where it could not be observed by the press. The Presidency is incredibly stressful, you have to do something to get away. Have you ever played golf? It is nothing but frustration, he is actually punishing himself! And no, despite defending him, I would never even consider voting for him.

  30. You know, I may need to get an easier job. As a college professor and an avid golfer, I only found time for 3 rounds last year. I have yet to get out this year. I need a less demanding job like President.

  31. Two years of his presidency he spent two month golfing.Looking what is going on in the country and outside,everything is falling a part and he time for golf.Is there anyone can tell me this guy cares about the country?

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