By Arthur Piccolo
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 18, 2012: Again you hear it first right here in my obscure but very, very important weekly commentary that exposes the real Barack Obama.
Not from the nutty vicious pathetic mindless rich boys Right Wing Republican side of the street – and let me add – their perverted definition of patriotism their flag waving excesses.
Not me! I attack Obama from the Progressive Democrat perspective I represent in my writing. What is wrong with Obama is not that he is an “extremist” as Romney and the Boys want us to believe and have convinced themselves but rather the opposite.
The real problem with President Barack Obama is that he is pathetically typical as President when he promised us something so much better than did not deliver it!
So what about Obama’s 2012 summer vacation plans now that we are nearing the summer season? What no one else is telling you! Each of the last three summers witnessed the Obama’s taking lavish vacations on Martha’s Vineyard in the best properties on that island. Not this year. Because …
Its election year! Barack will want us all to believe he is just one of us. Struggling away! Appreciating the simple pleasures in life!
This year look for the Obama’s to go to Camp David or maybe a national park in by chance a SWING state. Or maybe the Obama’s like so many other Americans will just stay home in The White House, play on the lawn and do some barbecuing.
Don’t laugh! Bet on the fact his campaign brain trust right now is trying to figure out how to get the most value from Barack’s summer vacation or maybe better no vacation at all!
President Obama will be working too hard for us every day this summer, campaigning for us to get what he knows we really need … 4 more years of Barack!
What this commentary and the subject of vacations is in fact all about is the Obama VACATION problem. It turns out that while up until now Obama and his team thought no one, meaning voters, would care how the First Family spent its free time the first three years of the Obama Presidency that no one was watching ….
Turns out that might not be true as much as the media put a Happy Face on all the Obama excursions to Hawaii most of all but many others too. Where was it being noticed? The only place it counts is in Swing States where a small number of votes go a long way.
Obama is right that many Americans are oblivious to how and where he has fun mostly at our expense as does the media. Many Americans are drugged into thinking our Presidents are Kings who should have as lavish a life style as possible.
But not everyone. Too bad there are Swing States!! The few states where votes actually count and decide the election.
The problem more precisely is that a key part of the Obama strategy is to pin the RICH guy label on Romney which is true. But the other necessary part of that strategy is Obama not looking RICH too. Rather being One Of Us.
Vacations have a way of defining peoples life styles.
So this week allow me to quote from a recent newspaper article ..
VACATION BACKLASH: BLUE COLLAR DEMS JEALOUS ANGRY AT OBAMAS ….. now that comes from a minor news source that is definitely not an Obama supporter – but still the sentiment has relevancy …
The Obamas are no slouches when it comes to their vacationing habits. By objective counts they have taken 16 vacations – let’s see how many do average Americans take?? – so far either all together or just Michelle and the children. Here is the list ..
— President’s Day 2012, Michelle and the first daughters in Aspen, Colorado to ski.
— Christmas 2011, the first family in Hawaii for an extended vacation.
— Summer 2011, in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., for the annual beach break.
— June 2011, the first lady, her mother and daughters traveled to South Africa and Botswana.
— President’s Day 2011, the first lady and first daughters travel to Vail to ski.
— Christmas 2010, in Hawaii.
— August 2010, the first family traveled to Panama City Beach, Fla., for some sun and fun at the beach.
— August 2010, Obama spent the weekend alone in Chicago for his 49th birthday bash.
— August 2010, the first lady and daughter Sasha traveled to Spain for a mother-daughter vacation.
— August 2010, summer vacation again at Martha’s Vineyard.
— July 2010, the first family went to Mount Desert Island, Maine.
— May 2010, the first family had a four-day trip to Chicago.
— March 2010, first lady and daughter spend Spring Break in New York City.
— Christmas 2009, Hawaii again for the annual break.
— August 2009, at Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon for a short vacation.
— August 2009, their first summer vacation as first family at Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
The real problem for Obama is both psychological perception and in fact two real places – Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard. Neither of which reflect “middle class values.” Also Michelle’s vacation without Barack to Spain was pure excess at our expense.
Most of all is the contradiction between who Barack Obama led us to believe he is and who he is. Many voters who supported him last time did so with a real if imprecise impression Barack Obama would be different so very different as President. He isn’t.
So what do his vacations say about him. That he is just as interested in enjoying the luxuries of office and wealth as any other President and if anything a bit more so especially if you include their lavish parties and dinners at The White House. That taking care of Barack and Family as well as possible is a priority even if that distances himself from us.
So there is no law Presidents or their wives can’t vacation in Hawaii and on Martha’s Vineyard or party in Spain but at the same time Obama could have said NO. He could have said I am a symbol for the nation for ALL Americans I should not emphasize the life styles of the rich and famous. I will use my vacation time to display restraint and enjoy myself in more modest surroundings.
But that is NOT Barack Obama. So does it matter?
OF COURSE IT DOES! It is why President Obama is not going to vacation on Martha’s Vineyard or Hawaii before Election Day but if he wins re-election bet on him being in Hawaii and on Martha’s Vineyard even more and longer over the next 4 years than the last 4 because he doesn’t have any more campaigns to win.
And it will begin with this Christmas vacation to Hawaii longer and more lavish than any before whether he wins or not ….
If I am wrong about President Obama’s summer vacation this year, be sure to let me know. Think I’m wrong? I’ll take your bet!
About The Writer: Arthur Piccolo is a professional writer and commentator and often writes about Latin America for New Americas.
