Posted on 08/09/2014 5:30:09 PM PDT by mandaladon
OAK BLUFFS Mass. (Reuters) - President Barack Obama gave Americans an update on U.S. military strikes in Iraq on Saturday from a podium on the White House lawn with Marine One, the presidential helicopter, parked in the background.
Four hours later, he offered an altogether different tableau: a golf game with friends at a lush course on Martha's Vineyard, the upscale Massachusetts island where the president and his family began a two-week vacation.
The contrasting scenes, which quickly sparked some hostile commentary from critics, illustrate the dilemma of taking time off when you are the most powerful leader in the world and, by definition, handling major issues all the time.
Part of the problem is dealing with appearances, or 'optics' as Washington pundits like to call it.
With crises boiling in Gaza, Iraq and Ukraine, Obama - like his presidential predecessors in similar circumstances - proceeded with plans for a summer break, but only after making his Iraq statement against the very presidential backdrop.
Administration officials made clear he would continue to do his job even while getting some time off, and a phalanx of aides, including national security adviser Susan Rice, came along to ensure that a virtual Oval Office was never far away.
"The president will be traveling to Massachusetts with an array of communications equipment and national security advisers and others to ensure that he has the capacity to make the kinds of decisions that are required for the Commander-in-Chief," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
the capacity to make the kinds of decisions that are required for the Commander-in-Chief,”
Funny, I would have said, “decisions that are required
OF the Commander-in-Chief”.
Just me thinking again.
Camp David is not good enough for this high falutin fraud.
This is the “newpresident” v2.014
Who says ya can’t mix business and pleasure??
Noting but a photo op so the media can have pictures showing how “hard” he is working during his vacation.
Bush would have been crucified if he went golfing or on vacay right after approving bombing in Iraq. Double standards abound, but then we know that. *sigh*
The reporter obviously had knee pads on, fellating Obola the whole time.
President Fubar Obama
“... and a phalanx of aides, including national security adviser Susan Rice...”
Well, I don’t know about the rest of you but I feel completely relieved knowing that Susan will be there to help...
He can multitask - I saw a vid of him picking his nose and scratching his butt at the same time...
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