February 15th, 2013
09:58 AM ET
10 years ago
Michelle Obama, daughters going skiing
(CNN) - First lady Michelle Obama and her daughters are headed out West this weekend for their annual ski trip with family friends, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday.
The White House wasn't specific on their skiing destination. Last year, they went to Aspen, Colorado. In 2011 and 2010, the first lady and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, stayed in Vail.
Vice President Joe Biden is also embarking on a ski trip this weekend, going to Snowmass, Colorado with his family, the White House announced.
The president, meanwhile, travels later Friday to West Palm Beach, Florida for Presidents Day weekend after he makes a visit to Chicago to continue his post-State of the Union tour.
most of the expenses for the trip are picked up by the Obamas themselves. You might want to go back and look at the trips taken by previous presidents before making some of these mean stupid comments. Hope the gals have fun I know where ever they go it will give the local economy a boost.
"It cost us $4.1 billion for their vacations and such...."
Outright lie.
remarque noted:
For all those complaining about this family going skiing.
In 2001, it went into effect that the President of the United States:
...earn $400,000 in annual salary
...a $50,000 expense account (expires annually)
...a $100,000 nontaxable travel account (expires annually)
...a $19,000 entertainment account (expires annually)
That's the law. Bush had the same perks. The president's family can go on vacation without him as many times as it can afford – just like your families.
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Wasn't the Republican controlled Congress so mindful of the newly elected Republican POTUS, George W. Bush.
@WiredweirdinSF, are you rambling again? You need to be upset that Congress keeps taking breaks and not doing their jobs. They make at least $100k or more a year and are never doing their jobs, just obstucting. Also you did not complain when Bush was visiting Texas more than 10 times a year. Yes it is at his home, but the taxpayers still had to cover it. Find something else more important to complain about. You sound like a broken record.
Is it not crystal clear that this president and his wife are hypocritcal to their core? They demonize their opponents about luxury homes, trips, bank accounts – and here they are – just getting back from Hawaii – going on more trips. Whether they pay for some of it or not – the secret service, transportation, etc. is paid by us – the taxpayers (those of us who pay, anyway). And for those STILL talking about George Bush (because you have no grounds to defend the behavior of this admin.), he built his home in Crawford with his own funds – so he wasn't staying in luxury accommodations whenever he went there – and he went to Texas, which is substantially less expensive than flying to Hawaii. And he didn't raise taxes on us while he did that – unlike this destructive president.
@WiredweirdinSF
Wow another great vacation at taxpayer expense.
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You must get radiation burns from sitting so close to Fox News. You are wrong – and likely you know that. Only the security details are not funded by the family. I suppose right-wing radicals would prefer the First Family didn't have security but that's part of the hate, bigotry and racism that comes with membership in that club.
These Republican sheep just make up stuff as they see fit. I am so sick and tired of their stupidity. Please people vote them all out They are not helping the country one bit. They need to be true to themselves and just tell the truth. They hate the idea of a black man being president period. They are trying to rig the votes and electorate college to make sure that any black, asian, hispanic or anyone who is not white will be president ever again. Please just get over it, you lost. The American people have spoken. We are moving forward with or without you.
jkane....whatever..... NO! America lost the last election.
@WiredweirdinSF – to receive all that free stuff that the most incompetent, inept, corrupt, lying, union toady president promised them. Remember he said he would not rest until the economy was fixed and he is now starting his 58th (taxpayer paid) vacation day since he made that pledge. You see he lies.
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Yawn.. cab't you come up with something other than that old hashed-out 'corrupt union toady" gar_bage line ??? The lack of intelligence displayed is appalling... The POTUS has not rested.. he's been trying to fix the economy stoopid, but the Grand Obstructionist Party is blocking ALL attempts to fix it. That showed in the Nov didn't it.. .and as far as 58 days goes... not to bad for 4+ yrs.. How about the 61 trips to Crawford that the worst President in history took during his final TWO years – while Rome burned, our economy was tanking, 4.2 MILLION jobs were being lost and 6,000 US soldiers were losing their lives in Iraq over an illegal unfunded war ???
"It cost us $4.1 billion for their vacations and such."
Gonna need the source of that data before I can take it seriously, I'm afraid.
Any mention of a vacation or any kind of recreation by a Democrat president or family is an abominable sin to the GOP. They fail mention that George Bush took far more time off than any president in history. Obama won't even come close. It is a lie that the taxpayers cover all the expenses, only those necessary for security. It is one of the many non-issues that the GOP tries to make political, but fail miserably. Have a great time, girls.
The president's family can go on vacation without him as many times as it can afford – just like your families.
Lets examin this.
Do they pay for the transportation cost; the car ride, helicopter ride, the 747 flights? NO
Do thye pay for their food, beverage ? NO
Do they pay for their rooms ? NO
Do they pay for their lift tickets and ski's? Yes
I wish I only had to pay for the incidentals on my vacations
Conservatives do not both with the facts, or thoughts
freedom wrote:
Is it not crystal clear that this president and his wife are hypocritcal to their core? They demonize their opponents about luxury homes, trips, bank accounts – and here they are – just getting back from Hawaii – going on more trips. ....
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The only thing this crystal clear is the hatred in your eyes. When did the first family ever "demonize their opponents"? Romney was criticezed for having luxury homes becaue he bragged that once he was POTUS he would "never take a vacation." He said that he would "visit one [out of several] of his vacation homes", instead.
"It cost us $4.1 billion for their vacations and such."
Gonna need the source of that data
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You'll NEVER get it because it is an outright LIE.
They are such a beautiful family. God bless you First Lady and Family. I pray you have a wonderful vacation.
I bet the secret service gets out of breath trying to keep up with the kids,especially skiing.Hope they have fun.
@Rudy NYC
No hatred here – just truth. When did he demonize his opponent?? Were you not here during the brutal campaign season? Just look it up.
Bush was the most expensive vacation president in US history. Not only did Bush spend more days on vacation than any other president, but he used Air Force One more often while on vacation than any other president.
During Bush’s two terms, the cost of operating Air Force One ranged from $56,800 to $68,000 an hour. Bush used Air Force One 77 times to go to his ranch in Crawford, TX. Using the low end cost of $56,800, Media Matters calculated that each trip to Crawford cost taxpayers $259,687 each time, and $20 million total for Bush’s ranch flights.
If cost of the flight was the only expense involved to taxpayers Bush’s vacations would still seem rather economical, but there is more, much more. Unlike the Obama’s $4 million Christmas vacation price tag, which includes the cost of everything from transportation to accommodations for the First Family, the White House staff, and the White House press corps, Bush’s numbers only include the cost of flying the president to Crawford. The cost of transporting and accommodating staff, media, friends and family is not included in Bush’s vacation numbers.