updated at 2:40 pm ET
President Obama is leaving Martha’s Vineyard today instead of Saturday, undoubtedly hoping to avoid reports that he is lounging on vacation while Hurricane Irene barrels into North Carolina.
Mrs. Obama appears to have initially decided to finish out the vacation, according to reports, staying with the couple’s daughters until Saturday at a cost of thousands to taxpayers.
But after saying today the first lady would return Saturday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest later said she and the family would join the president. I can only think the president’s political advisers intervened directly to avoid a public relations nightmare.
The first lady also traveled to Martha’s Vineyard a few hours ahead of the president a week ago Thursday, a separate trip that added to the taxpayers’ tab for the trip.
Bringing Mrs. Obama home a day later would have forced the Secret Service to continue to provide security on Martha’s Vineyard even though the president would be back in Washington. And Mrs. Obama would have again billed the Air Force for a separate, specially equipped jet to take her home.
The Obamas will get most of today to play – they are not scheduled to return to Washington until Midnight.
Obama’s decision to get home early has both political and practical elements to it.
The hurricane is already causing rain in North Carolina and is expected to begin having its worst effects on the state Friday night. So the president would have been relaxing at one of the country’s most exclusive vacation destinations while thousands of Americans were beginning to suffer and possibly die.
Obama’s presence in Washington will also allow him to oversee the response in a more effective manner than were he at Martha’s Vineyard, given the enhanced communications tools available to him at the White House.
It must also have occurred to Obama’s political advisers that North Carolina is a key presidential swing state, so crucial to Obama’s reelection chances that the Democratic Party has decided to hold it’s convention in Charlotte.
Fresh in the minds of White House and campaign officials is also Hurricane Katrina, which almost exactly six years ago caused the tragic disaster in New Orleans while George W. Bush was on vacation at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Bush’s failure to respond speedily proved a political disaster from which he was never able to fully recover.
79 thoughts on “Obama Returning Early to DC; Michelle Opts to Join Him”
Hours early he was leaving tomorrow anyway. And MO and girls waiting
till tomorrow morning. Again two trips in less than 12 hours!
Well you can’t expect Michelle to sacrifice any of her vacation, can you? It’s not like she’s the president or anything. She just gets the perks of the office, and that’s good enough for her.
I can’t believe this. Mooch is taking another separate flight? They are in the way of the storm preparations. People can’t get to their homes because of the secret service. Off with their heads.
metaphorically speaking, of course.
This from ABC I bet she is peeved cause I think her spending has
caught fire and will be seen to be cut back. She probably said she wasn’t leaving till HER vacation was over….unbelievable. She is certainly a role model for her two girls.
How many times do we have to see them traveling apart to realize
there’s trouble in camelot ? But when you think about it.. how could anyone get along with barry hussein & his ego the size of libya?
Then there’s moochie with her appetite for food & travel the size of alaska …not a good match..
WORLDS COLLIDE !!!
Dear God in heaven, please deliver us from this evil.
If grabbing a private flight is like hailing a cab, why is he so hard on those who do it all the time?
NO SHIT!
I feel the same
Does ANYBODY YET understand why the mighty Boa says these clowns need to go IMMEDIATELY? NOT in “Twenty Twelve”!!!
NOW!
Does anyone actually believe any more that The Mooch is concerned about appearances or cares about those in the US losing their homes and jobs, so long as she can party whenever and whereever she wants to. She is despicable and immoral and in no way shows what a class First Lady is all about. I wonder is she still is ashamed of the country that is affording her all these luxuries.
I still think he’s taking a dive on purpose….anyone have any ideas why?
Here’s my guess. Alinsky said to never waste a crisis. But one must have a crisis.
By doing divisive things like hanging that Rockwell picture of the little girl going to a desegragated school, by allowing his wife to indulge her Michelle Antoinette fantasies, by acting as if the Presidency is a minor part of his daily world, by golfing at every opportunity, by using executive orders to create more government offices, by giviing amnesty to illegals while Americans look for work, Obama is MAKING that useful crisis.
Now, what he intends to do with it is something that I wonder a great deal about myself.
Good points. He’s created several crisis’s; debt ceiling debackle, not-war in Lybia, adding 4 trillion to the national debt, etc. What he hasn’t done is a good job of exploiting them. He just manages to make himself look weak. Lack of executive experience is one of his big problems….but, I still don’t get it.
What he intends to do with it is something that scares the hell out of me. It is a full out assault on America. From issuing executive orders giving illegal aliens free reign of our Southern border, to sending out his ‘plantation overseers’ to incite class warfare. Part of that whole bottom up, top down, inside out thing Van Jones told us about.
Actually that picture bothered me. Certainly Rockwells are a glimpse into America’s past, but to only put up only one, and that one ;was really indicative of his overall agenda. The victim narrative is getting tiring. Also, the only victim for him is colour coded..
I do agree with what you said. Obama is purposely trying to create class/race warfare. I also think he is purposely killing the economy so the government can bail out all the major industries and take them over. Government will take over all the foreclosed homes and rent them back to us – or better yet – give them to Section 8 “winners”. Once our employers discontinue giving employees an insurance benefit, we won’t have any choice other than to purchase ObamaCare. He wants the majority dependent on the government because then the helpless majority will go along with anything the government wants to do. Those in control have a great plan and it’s working perfectly. We’re @#$%!
I agreem this is all calculated-it’s way too late to use the ‘new guy’ excuse
ugh agreem! is that a word?
sorry
MoochMORE may be first, but she’ll never be a lady.
Exactly !!
The faster that people realize his CT issued social security number is illegal and that his birth certificate has been analyzed by experts who said it is fake, the faster his whole admin can be removed from office and the quicker this nightmare can be over. Hopefully this happens before he finishes destroying the country.
This has been talked about for at least 2 years and it has gone nowhere. And now with Comcast becoming an openly govt-affiliated broadcasting system, I have even less hope. Despondent.
So we will never know Obama’s “GPA” from Columbia and Harvard Law; his course work, his college research or papers…
(I apply to sweep floors at CIA hq and I have to fill out a 20+ page “security clearance/back-ground check” form… yet Barack Hussein Obama is just allowed to walk thru college? do nothing in politics?? and then become “President of the USA”…???!!!)
yup.
…but he’s transparent. No siree, no secrets there.
Personally, I think he has a great deal to hide (starting with his political history), his BC was fabricated, and Mooch was right, she was only proud of this country when it did one of it’s biggest screwups ever (electing BO).
Rick,
As an Army officer’s daughter and the mother of 5 children born in Hawaii, I can tell you that
1) the hospital oBummer said he was born in was not called what is listed on his birth certificate (three of my five were born at Kapiolani Women’s and Children’s, but what the hay…..like I know , right?)
2) out of my 5 kids, not one of the did NOT have a stamped “water mark” , even on copies. BTW..his does not.
That being said, what bothers me more is the hatred he seems to have for this country and for the total lack of even the most basic respect for those who have lost their lives in defense of this country. ( Have you seen him “salute”? Just sayin….)
And here, I am thinking of the US Navy Seals’ remains’ return to this country that the Mooch could not be bothered to attend (something much more important in Oregon with her entourage of 12 black ( of course…any other color would be racist, right?) SUVs
I say…..damn her to hell for her supposed “love” of both the military and their families when it is obvious she doesnt give a good flyin’ rip about them!
That rumor of a ‘soft separation’ seems more plausible every day. She well
really stick it to us now! She could care less about America and even less about the military she’s in it for herself and nothing more. We have no First
Lady that post is vacant.
…I can see Michelle ‘dumping’ Barack post-2012 :-)
I saw that, as you said, originally Michelle and the girls were to stay and flat out could not BELIEVE it. The arrogance and thumbing of the noses to the rest of us, who — believe it or not — have had vacations cut short because of family emergencies, was simply mind-boggling. I wonder who finally said, “Michelle, you can’t do it. Grow up.”
Also it gets in the way of the people who live there trying to prepare
for Irene. This woman could care less she is truly a thoughtless vain
individual.
Keith,
You made mention in World Net Daily in their reporting of FLOTUS’ vacation spending.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=337833
You are really starting to get more notoriety. Have you hired a body guard yet? It won’t take long before you make the Obama “Enemy List” if you haven’t already.
He made it here, too:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2029615/Michelle-Obama-accused-spending-10m-public-money-vacations.html
Duck, cover, arm yourself and KEEP POSTING please!!
Thank you Keith for having the courage, constitution and fortitude to do what you do and bless you !!
The President should have left days ago so property owners had a chance to prepare for the storm. Security there is extremely tight making it very difficult for locals to batten down the hatches. So he leaves tonight but she needs another day of vacation with Secret Service still providing protection. She should leave with the President so locals have a few extra hours to get prepared. Very sad!
Is anyone curious about all the “seperate” (and often Not Reported, aka “private/family”) travel FLOTUS seems to be taking lately…?
Why does Michelle feel the need to take seperate USAF-Secret Service flights, trips etc…?
Oh I see HRH had an order to go now. Trust me that will come with a cost
another vacation to make up for the short one and new clothes.
Sometimes, words just fail.
I’m with you on this one, too. I wouldn’t know where to start.
“Hello, I’d like to make a to go order please…12 sides crabcakes, 6 sides of peppered fettuccine, 16 Maine lobsters, 4 Kobe steaks medium and 4 each of your desserts…nah, charge it.”
couple bottles Prosecco, styrofoam cups and pack of Newports.
Seriously, how selfish can one woman be? I like the beach, too, but it’s time to stop costing us extra money. She probably figures they paid for the house and she’s getting her entire time there, but what about all the stuff we are paying for – security, plane, fuel, etc. I guess they don’t really believe in man-made global waming from fossil fuels or they wouldn’t burn so many of them. Hypocrites!
Oops, never mind, my reading comprehension isn’t what it is used to be. She;s coming back with him – wise choice, for once.
This is scary —- it’s not that BO is taking another vacation thats the problem, the problem is he’s coming back! Even worse he’s gonna be alone for a day without MO to tell him what to do. God help us…
How else are they going to get both planes, all the motorcades, and her entourage back to D.C? Of course they had to take separate flights. The hurricane coming just provides him coverage to leave a few hours ahead of his his America-hating wife. He had to leave ahead of her to take the heat off her departure tomorrow. Wherever he goes the press goes, so there won’t be anybody around tomorrow when Michelle hops on that plane with her entourage. It has nothing at all to do with his love for Americans…I guarantee.
So now they are flying together. One question. What are they going to do with her plane that is sitting at MV?
Good question Susan-she’ll probably be on it ;)
This is getting absolutely ridiculous
They sure are masters of distraction-who knows what the other hand is doing as they say.
While we are steaming over this blatant in your face insanity – they are pulling fast ones like executive orders.
Obama or his bosses are very smart.
now she is going with him?
how thrifty of her
This has nothing to do with PR or sacrifice for the greater good-she is just skeered of the hurrican
*hurricane ack
So, they finally listened to some sense?
I noticed on CNN that the commentator stated that the Queen was going to stay until tomorrow but then he said that they decided to come back together. It’s really a big sacrifice for them to come back tonight at midnight instead of leaving early tomorrow morning. It makes me sick to my stomach that so many in this country have lost so much and with nothing to look forward to but despair and our King and Queen not only spend our money but can’t seem to spend it fast enough. Our President and Congress no longer run for office to serve the people but rather, run for the benefits, greed and perks. Ron Paul 2012
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Madame Antoinette continues to show such disdain for the American people as she continues to play a huge role in this sham. What is with this marraige anyway? He’s never with the kids except to use them for sympathy (last yr’s Daddy..have you plugged the hole yet?), golfing freq, attending events w/Jarrett not MO, not with kids on trip to Nantucket, etc… Even the dog is 1/2 B, 1/2 W with the BO name!! Everything seems to be a sham!!!
For those of us whose husbands have high powered jobs and have raised children, vacations were sacrosanct FAMILY time, and often vacations were cancelled or altered d/t work issues. No so here, how is ths?????
“And Mrs. Obama will bill the Air Force for a separate, specially equipped jet to take her home.”
Actually, the Air Force will be billing us.
The MOOCH must be throwing a queen sized temper tantrum right about now.
Boy, talk about slow learners – this is beyond just being tone deaf – they just don’t care at all. Not a great attribute to have in the Supreme Vacationer and her husband.
OH NO!!!!
Newsflash: Now the Mooch HAS TO TRAVEL BACK TO DC WITH BUMBLING BARRY!!!!
Mooch must be throwing one super sized queen of a tantrum right about now!!
Does Mooch also have a seperate bedroom in the white house now? Or more likely a seperate wing away from Bumbling Barry???
Hey Mooch, just take your brats and you Mooch mother and move to Cap David until we fire your bumbling husband.
Let’s keep any reference to the Obama children out of this “conversation”. They’ve done nothing that we know of to deserve being called brats.
Thanks, Maryb. I bow to no one in my contempt for the adult Obamas but the kids should be off-limits.
It is a sad financial burden for our country.
Wait now,
If Obama and Mooshy take all these government jets does that mean we are ALL corporate jet owners and need to sacrifice for the greater good?
535 morons save for a handful like Ron Paul, this Obama is worse than W and that is really, really bad.
Keith Kofler you are hateful, divisive and most probably very racist.
Based on…what now?
I’m so sorry to say this but what a POS this whole family is
There’s one very specific reason that MO takes separate planes there and back, and it is not for extra vacation time. It’s because MO has their large entourage of friends and family traveling with her (on our dime).
Are we really supposed to believe that all their friends and family that go to Martha’s Vineyard with them fly or drive to Cape Cod, and then take the ferry over to the Vineyard? Please, these people are all living it up now!
I have read that their arrivals to and departures from the Vineyard airport are back in a far part of the airport, and that they always place a wall of school buses there to shield them. Why the hell do they have to hide? Hmm, could it be that they don’t want us, the taxpayers, to see the large entourage of friends and family that hitch rides on the helicopters and planes? I really wish someone would try to find the details on this!
Judicial Watch looking at Michelle Obama travel:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2011/08/judicial_watch_looking_at_mich.html
Thanks for letting me know Snark .
Backie O must GO.
You need to update this story. They all returned last night on AF1. Heavy money has it Axelrod’s head exploded when they floated the idea of Michelle returning separately.
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What is meant by the phrase “specially equipped jet”, never heard that one before. Is it code word for an Air Force 1 type plane or is it what? Thanks
This is incorrect. Michelle actually returned with the president.
Whether or not she changed her plans based on early reports that she would stay in Martha’s Vineyard remains to be seen.
Apologies – the story was updated almost immediately to reflect that Mrs. Obama was returning to Washington as well, but the update did not take on one of my web servers, and many viewers got the old story. It’s being fixed.
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