Posted on 07/08/2009 5:57:52 AM PDT by raybbr
MOSCOW — If Paris is for lovers, it looks like Moscow is for families.
After passing on dinner with the French president to go on a date in the City of Light with his wife last month, President Obama took leave of his Russian hosts on Tuesday night to seclude himself in his Moscow hotel with his wife, Michelle, and their daughters.
The first family enjoyed a relaxed evening at the O2 Lounge, the super-chic, super-pricey rooftop club at the new Ritz-Carlton, although no doubt the Secret Service first cleared the place of most if not all of the swaggering tycoons and leggy models who flock to such Moscow venues.
They could not ask for a more scenic vista. The glass-enclosed O2 offers a panoramic view of Moscow, including Red Square and the Kremlin, all the more striking as the lingering summer sun sets after 10 p.m. The club is “a place to see and be seen,” as its Web site says — that is, unless you are a visiting president who after a day and a half of blinis, beluga and bilats (the diplo term for “bilateral meetings”) just wants to hang out with the clan.
The decision to brush off the Russians on one of his two nights here miffed some in the Moscow government who did not understand why he would not devote the scarce time to his hosts. Mr. Obama had dinner with President Dmitri A. Medvedev on Monday and lunch with him on Tuesday. But with the second dinner slot unavailable, he ended up having breakfast Tuesday with Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, a known night owl not given to American-style early morning business meals.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Stupid bastard! (And I mean bastard in the literal sense)
and stupid in the literal sense? This guy is such an empty shell. No substance at all.
Too many white folk expecting them to socialize in Moscow- better to spend the night at the Ritz Carlton.
The ‘Bama ventured too far from his handlers in the MSM.
It’s getting pretty bad when he can’t even get his story straight on the age of his daughter.
Wow. The NY Times, no less.
The daughter that just turned eleven seems much more like a 13 yr old to me.
Everything about this family is a lie.
I can understand the sentiment of wanting to go off and have dinner with his family but a president has responsibilities that come before dinner with the wife and kids.
Its one of the reasons I would never want to be president.
Actually, his commitment to time with his family is one of the few things about him I’m okay with.
If I was the ruskies, I’d publicly complain about his “snub”, then go home and thank god I didn’t have to sit with that twit (obama) and his wife for a 3 hour meal.
Great instead of sending a world class leader of an industrialized nation to speak to the Russians, we send the Griswald family from National Lampoon's European Vacation. Obozo acts like a kid who got hold of daddy's credit card and is taking his girlfriend out on the town.
Hey BamBam!!! You're there on the taxpayers dime to conduct the business of the country not to impress Shelly and the kids!!!
On a side note, just where is her royal thighness?
Then he needs to make a choice. Family or presidency.
Yeah but notice it how they always seem to wrap up their stories with some fun-loving, lighthearted humor about Barry or his family?
The folks at the NY Times are shocked and dismayed that the Russians didn’t fall to their faces and worship at the feet of their Obamessiah. Also, I think the American people should sue grandma and recover travel expenses and room and board.
Democrats are so anti-choice.
Speaking of relatives, whatever happened to his aunt the illegal alien?
This type of club is not a proper place for children. Good grief, ZerO and Mrs ZerO are such morons.
Interesting that so many would bluster about you saying this, while at the same time making the same statement about Sarah Palin.
Totally agree. However, his second evening in Russia was not the time for a family dinner. That should have waited. These "social" events on presidential trips abroad are important times when relationships are developed. This was right down rude.
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