George W. Bush on one of his many vacations.
Conservatives have had a field day hammering President Obama over his 10 day vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. But has he taken more vacation days than past Republican presidents?
The answer is an emphatic ‘NO’. As of now President Obama has only taken 67 total vacation days in 31 months as President. And when one compares his total vacation days with former Republican presidents at the same point during their White House years, it becomes clear that President Obama is being unfairly harangued.
After 31 months as President, George W. Bush had already taken 180 days at his ranch in Texas and Ronald Reagan had already taken 112 days at his California ranch. But George W. Bush spent more time away from the White House than most presidents. He attended 98 sporting events throughout his presidency, and only 49 cabinet meetings. He visited Camp David and his Texas ranch 226 times, for a total of 977 days. For almost 3 of his 8 years as President, Bush was on vacation. And keep in mind that during these eight years, America was involved in two wars and had a high terror alert. I don’t remember conservatives criticizing Bush when he went on vacation.
To be fair, President Obama has taken more vacation days than Clinton had at the same point. Clinton had only taken 28 vacation days during his first 31 months.
What most people need to understand is that a vacation away from the White House, isn’t like a normal vacation to the rest of us. The office follows the President wherever he goes. He is constantly updated by advisers and assistants and can be back in Washington quickly in the case of an emergency via Air Force One. Another point to remember is that the President is vacationing close to Washington. Massachusetts is not that far away. In contrast, Presidents Bush and Reagan both vacationed in places farther away.
Instead of criticizing President Obama, conservatives should admire him for taking some time off to spend with his family. President Obama has a wife and two young daughters who also demand his time and, instead of being a workaholic who ignores them, he is making time for them. Why aren’t conservatives pointing that out? Isn’t spending time with family a “family value”? Conservatives go to bed at night thinking about how they can hammer President Obama the next day. Let’s be honest, even if President Obama had vacationed in a cardboard box on the White House lawn, they would have criticized him anyway. Even if he had taken 0 days of vacation by this time, conservatives would have criticized him for NOT taking a vacation. As President, Barack Obama has the most demanding job in the world. Even while on vacation, he’s never really on vacation. So let’s cut him some slack and let the man relax with his family, it’s what all of us would want.
Edited By: Alexis Atherton
Clinton didn’t need vacations, he was getting all of the relaxation he needed right there in his office.
Apparently Bush didn’t know the meaning of vacation according to the picture, because that is NOT my idea of vacation.
Who are we to criticize the most stressful job in the US. To be fair, they are never REALLY on vacation, I’m sure they are harassed by people needing something from them at LEAST a few times a day, even when they are technically “off duty”. When I was in the military, even on vacation a lot of the time I was fielding phone calls, so I can only IMAGINE how much time is taken up by someone in such a prominent position.
I’m not talking about which presidents I favored…I’m just playing a little “Devil’s Advocate” to the people that criticize the position and those people that are in that position.
so bush spent 3 years out of 8 on vacation. RETARDblicans need to shut the f%#@ up. they’ve had the house for almost 10 months & haven’t passed 1 NOT 1 job bill. they are the most irresponseable congress in U.S. history. & by the way arn’t they on a 1 month vacation..usless excuse for human beings.they have no shame,spine,heart, or compassion for the real working class
I just don’t understand why politicians get so much vacation time in general. The president I can see, that is a really stressful job, but congress, come on, they don’t do anything as it is…
AWWWWW cmon now Palin is gonna be campaigning on dwts again maybe with another one of her kids or her goofy husband , or trying to make another flop movie her days are done so who ever thinks she will be president is smoking crack!
Anyway yah I think it is timing when it comes to vacations After everything and the insanity with the budget deal i know i would need a vacation or be put in the nut house. The time I was agravated with President Obamma was when the gulf oil spill was just starting and he was telling people to still vacation there but he went up north.
Congresss don’t need a vacation well really the tea party repugs All they have done is uhmmmm oh yeah a big fat nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course not. She’ll have quit before she’s earned any vacation time.
When Palin becomes our next and greatest President, she won’t need to take any vacation time whatsoever.
Of course not – because she’ll quit halfway through her first term.
Mentally she is always on vacation & she spent the remainder of her term as governor on reality TV show vacations!
nope, she’ll resign before she has time to take one. She quits half way through her term, quits half-way through her bus tour, quits half way through making intelligible statements, quits half way through just about everything. If Palin was going to become president the American people should really be concerned with her running mate, because by 2014, that’s who will actually be in the White House. We could even set a date by her track record.