BO Is Living Large In Hawaii

[dales]

All paid for by the American Taxpayer suffering under record unemployemnt, forclosures, and a declining standard of living.

Saturday, Jan 01 2011 6PM 3°C 9PM 2°C 5-Day Forecast

All the President's men: Obama given a 20-MAN motorcade to visit childhood friend in Hawaii (no wonder his Christmas holiday is costing the country $1.5m)

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:30 AM on 1st January 2011



Return trip on Air Force One costs up to £1million
$63,000 to fly Michelle and daughters to Hawaii
$134,000 for 24 White House staff to stay at home


President Obama provoked fresh outrage today after taking a 20-man motorcade to visit a childhood friend during his lavish Christmas holiday in Hawaii.

The 10-vehicle convoy drove the president and wife Michelle from his rental property in Kailua, across highways cleared of traffic and through a military community to reach Bobby Titcomb's beachfront house.

Mr Obama, who spent eight years at Punahou School in Hawaii before graduating in 1979, has splashed out $1.5m on his trip – a decision that will not endear him to the millions of Americans facing economic hardship in the New Year.


Motorcade: President Obama visited a school friend while on holiday in Hawaii - and had a convoy of 20 vehicle
The extra cost of the excessive security levels demanded by the holidaying Mr Obama will further enrage opponents of the 49-year-old, who will return to work on January 3.


After a game of golf with his old friends in the day, the president ate at the barbecue, played volleyball and relaxed on the beach with family and friends, White House spokesman Bill Burton said.


Police had stopped cars along the route at on ramps and side streets. Onlookers were often waving or flashing the famous shaka sign.

While enjoying the barbecue the president’s men, armed to the teeth, carefully guarded the area, and waterways, against any possible attack.

Riding: First Lady Michelle Obama and President Obama ride in their SUV as they leave their Kailua residence on their way to Bobby Titcomb's beach house

Near Dillingham Airfield a group unveiled a sign which read: ‘Hi, Mr. Prez.’


The airfield, frequented by gliders and parachute jumpers, was dormant due to security for the President. Bill Star, one the operators of Original Glider Rides, lamented the lost business as it was the first day of excellent weather this week.

Mr Obama, who also visited Mr Titcomb on the same day a year ago, is facing claims that he could have been more frugal in his two-week getaway with wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha at a luxury beachfront rental home in Kailua, an upscale resort about 12 miles from the capital, Honolulu.


Expensive: The president;'s trip has cost approximately $1.5m - and could have been much cheaper critics say
According to the Hawaii Reporter, the bill for the trip included:


$63,000 on an early flight bringing Mrs Obama and the children to Hawaii ahead of the president.
$1,000,000 on Mr Obama’s return trip from Washington on Air Force One.
$38,000 for the ‘Winter White House’ the president has rented for his family on the beach.
$16,000 to rent beachfront homes for Secret Service and Navy Seals.
$134,000 for 24 White House staff to stay at the Moana Hotel.
$251,000 in police overtime.
$10,000 for an ambulance to be on hand at all times


Chilled: The President enjoys an ice cream with his daughters as he relaxes on his Christmas holiday in Hawaii

Security: A Coast Guard patrol dinghy rides up the canal near the house in Kailua where the President is staying
And those tallies do not include the travel costs of Mr Obama’s staff and Secret Service, car rentals and surveillance operations in advance of the trip, which could easily add up to more than £30,000.
The White House would not comment on the cost of the stay.


A spokesman said the president’s holiday expenses are in line with those of previous presidents.

But the Hawaii Reporter claimed: ‘They could have chosen a less expensive and more secure place to stay such as a beachfront home on the Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station – just a two-minute drive away from the Kailuana Place property where they are now.


‘The president visits the military base daily to workout, bowl with his kids or enjoy the more private beach there. ‘He also could have stayed at a home 15 minutes away on the beach fronting Bellows Air Force Base as President Bill Clinton did.’


Friends: Mr Obama spend eight years at school in Hawaii and looked happy playing golf with old friends Bobby Titcomb (left) and Marty Nesbitt (right)
The 7,000 square foot home where the president is vacationing has five bedrooms, a media room and a secluded lagoon-style pool with tropical waterfalls and a spa.

The Obamas holidayed at the same spot last year, but rising fuel costs have pushed up the estimated travel costs and the president flew later than the rest of his family because of delayed votes in Washington, adding more to the escalating expenses.

The Honolulu Police Department said overtime for officers cost $250,000 last year, compared to $106,000 in 2008 before his inauguration.

The President has no intention of going to a new location for his vacations.

Mr Burton, who is with the president in Hawaii, said: 'Like most Americans, the president knows what he likes in his own hometown.

'He's been going to a lot of these places since he was a very young child and they hold an important place in his life.'

- Linda Rivera, New York, USA, 31/12/2010 21:54
© Associated Newspapers Ltd

[dgs49]

The entourage and exorbitant costs are not his doing. The Prez can't just hang with his buddies anonymously.

But this could hurt him with the moron vote. Although the general consensus on this BBS is that SP has the moron vote locked up, so it's a wash, eh?

[Joe Guy]

I'm reminded of Obama's trip to India in which it was claimed that we were spending $200,000,000.00 per day and everyone was in an uproar.

Then it turned out that some guy on a radio station in India made up the story.

Where do the figures come from?

[loCAtek]

I know it sounds expensive but frankly that's cheap as far as VIP vacations go.

Re: Security; Hawaii is already crawling with military so, it's not like it's that difficult to defend. The President of the US always has the highest possible security regardless, and it's far more difficult to protect him at overseas locations. The 20 man motorcade is nothing considering it takes less than an hour to get to anywhere on the island. Frankly, Hawaii is the one of the cheapest places to vacation in winter, because the tourist demand is way down and you don't have the heating costs you'd have elsewhere.

No body would have been complaining had he gone skiing in Tahoe, but that would have cost much more.
"$38,000 for the ‘Winter White House’ the president has rented for his family on the beach." ...for 11 days? That's probably what it costs to run the regular White House for one day!


Yes! I was right: check it out;

The Congressional Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2008 indicates that the yearly operating expense of the White House was $12,814,000. Or, about $35,106 a day. These expenses include: “maintenance, repair and alteration, refurnishing, improvement, heating, and lighting, including electric power and fixtures, of the Executive Residence at the White House and official entertainment expenses of the President…”

[BoSoxGal]

Before I get outraged, I'd like comparable figures for W's many vacations over the 8 years he was driving the country into this economic hole.

Thanks, in advance.

[liberty]

I would be inclined to think that W’s vacations where low budget affairs. He tended to vacation in and near a low cost small town in Texas.

[BoSoxGal]

He spent many summer vacations in Kennebunkport, Maine - not exactly cheap digs, unless everyone from the WH and SS was housed at the family compound, which I doubt.

The President has the most difficult job in the world, at a not very high rate of pay. I can't get freaked out over his spending some time on vacation in his home state. Congress is wasting far more disgusting sums of money on far more disgusting expenditures as we speak. Killing civilians in Afghanistan, for instance.

[rubato]

I would be inclined to think that W’s vacations where low budget affairs. He tended to vacation in and near a low cost small town in Texas.

You mean he spent more time vacationing on his multi-million dollar ranch at the taxpayers expense than any president since Reagan?

yrs,
rubato

[Long Run]

The cost of presidential vacations is a true nonstory. They all cost a lot because of who and what they are. I don't want any president to feel they are so stuck in the White House or Camp David that they can't get out of the bubble, and hopefully rediscover a bit of who they are.

[Gob]

American presidents taking holidays abroad means they may learn something....

Bush didn't have a passport until he became president.

[dales]

American presidents taking holidays abroad means they may learn something....

Bush didn't have a passport until he became president.

Hawaii, abroad?

or

Abroad in Hawaii?

(I'll take the later).

[Gob]

I thought it may be a good idea for them to start doing it ,dales.

[loCAtek]

They make easier sniper targets that way.

[The Hen]

I have NO problem whatsoever for the President to be funded his holidays if that is what is the accepted norm.

Over here, the PM funds her own holidays. But then, the security would be provided by the Government if it was deemed necessary.

There was a time when the acting Prime Minister used to run the country from a caravan over the Christmas holidays.

How times have changed.

[Big RR]

I'm not certain Hen, but unless the trip is primarily for a governmental purpose, the president pays his and his family's expenses, the government funds the security and rest of the entourage. Now, I do think h pays only a small percentage of the cost, like a normal airline ticket for flying on AF 1 and the price of a hotel room while the government pays the price of the villa or suites it maintains he needs for security, etc., but he does pay something.

The biggest problem with trips like this is that they seem incongruent with his message of everyone tightening their belts and living with the crappy economy, while he goes on a very public luxury vacation. Kind of like the president of BP saying he wants his life back after the gulf oil spill (or Nixon flying to Califronia every weekend at the height of the gas crisis in the early 70s),it just pisses people off.

[Crackpot]

But then again since when is visiting family "Luxury"?

[Big RR]

When you fly on a private jet (a 747 no less) and pay tens of thousands of dollars rental for a beachfront house--it's not like he's sleeping on the pull out couch.

IMHO, he could have paid for them to fly to DC and meet him in the White House or Camp David; I don't know what it would have cost, but I think it would have been less irksome to many.

[loCAtek]

...and a greater security risk. Com'on, claiming they're 'just folks' now is just silly.

[oldr_n_wsr]

His security entourage is part of the cost of having "high ranking officials". I am sure other countries pay the cost of the Prime ministers body guards while he is on vacation. Not a big deal as far as I'm concerned. While I am sure it's cheaper when a president (Bush for one) has a ranch with extra houses he can put up the security detail, but when one does not have that and/or one wants to go somewhere where only hotels and villa's exist, then that's what we get.

The only thing one can do is possibly make it so the president can only go to camp david for vacation.

[Big RR]

In times of financial trouble, is that really that much of a sacrifice?