What Recession? 'Obama Winter White House' $9 Million Hawaii Estate at $4000 Per Night

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Barack Obama will be spending ten days over Christmas and New Year's at a $8.9 million estate in Hawaii at a rate of at least $4000 per night, according to ABC News. Obama spent last Christmas there as well when he was president-elect.

As the American people are still caught in the grips of the recession with unemployment running from 10% to 16% and the federal budget blown out with Obama's massive deficit spending, Obama is living like a king with no criticism from the mainstream media.

ABC describes the estate with no mention of the incongruence of Obama's extravagance with the wrecked Christmases of tens of millions of Americans one year in to his failing presidency:

The Obamas' rental property is 7,000 square feet of paradise on the southeastern coast of the island, complete with large open spaces built around a lagoon pool.

...It's also not cheap. Staying in this $8.9 million house, which Zimel has dubbed the "Obama Winter White House," will cost around $4,000 a night. The two houses next door will be occupied by Obama family members and friends.

While ABC News ignores Obama's 'Let them eat cake' attitude, the New York Daily News flat out lies for Obama on his self-indulgent Christmas:

With so many Americans hurting, the White House is smart enough to know that they don’t want to flaunt their good fortunes on those who are without...The First Family heads to Hawaii tomorrow for a well-deserved tropical Christmas.

It's good to be the king!

[freekitty]

Uh oh, Feng shui says it’s bad to live under those beams.

[Texas resident]

Where’s Robin Leach?

[RushingWater]

And it is so noble of him to delay his vacation a day or two because of impending legislation - like this is any big deal - doubt if there are any re-ticketing or cancellation fees he has to pay!

[anglian]

Obama visit restricts tours
By Mary Vorsino
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

Tour operators, flight schools and others say flight restrictions for President Obama’s expected O’ahu holiday visit could leave them struggling to bring in revenues during what is usually a busy time of year.

The flight restrictions create a temporary no-fly zone over a 10-mile area whose core is Kailua — where Obama and his family are expected to stay — shutting out helicopter sightseeing operators from some of the most popular must-see spots on the island, including Sacred Falls and Ka’a’awa Valley.

Also, all of O’ahu will be under restrictions that require small aircraft to travel from one point to another “without loitering,” the Federal Aviation Administration said yesterday. Operators say those restrictions will effectively ban aircraft from doing any training maneuvers. Seaplanes will also not be allowed to land at Kane’ohe Bay.

The flight restrictions are in effect from Wednesday to Jan. 4. They apply to all aircraft except for commercial, cargo, law enforcement, medical and military aircraft or any others with permission.

Last night, tour operators, flight schools and others met with the U.S. Secret Service and FAA to discuss the restrictions — and try to persuade officials to relax them. Some helicopter tour operators, for example, suggested that the no-fly zone be slightly decreased so Sacred Falls was no longer in it.

Operators say they doubt they’ll be able to sell helicopter tours, which run about $250, that don’t include the waterfall or Ka’a’awa, and worry they’ll lose out on much-needed revenues during what they say has otherwise been an abysmal year in tourism. They say business shows signs of picking up over the holiday season, which is historically one of the busiest times of the year for sightseeing flights.

Missing out on the increased business, they said, will leave them struggling to stay afloat.

After the meeting last night, sightseeing operators said the Secret Service seemed receptive to the suggestions, though officials did not make any pledges that changes would be made. Operators were not told when the Secret Service would make a final decision on the flight restrictions. Secret Service officials who attended the meeting last night said they weren’t authorized to speak to the media.

FAA traffic security coordinator Rally Caparas, who is based in Washington, D.C., was also at the meeting yesterday and said the flight restrictions are “still being formulated” and that the suggestions the operators made yesterday will be taken back to supervisors to see whether they can be approved.

He added that “the intent (of the restrictions) can’t be weakened.”

Richard Schuman, president and owner of Makani Kai Helicopters, said he understands the restrictions and added that most tourists would be OK with not being able to see Kane’ohe Bay, if the president is staying just a few miles away. But he said he hopes an exception is made for Sacred Falls.

“If we can’t even show them a waterfall, then we don’t think we can sell our product,” he said.

Schuman added that most O’ahu helicopter tours take the same route.

Other operators say the restrictions are tougher than those imposed during Obama’s last visit as president-elect and when previous presidents visited O’ahu. They said the no-fly zone then was smaller.

P.J. O’Reilley, manager of Mauna Loa Helicopters, a flight training school, said the restrictions will effectively close him down for two weeks. “We’re pretty much taking a two-week vacation,” he said, after leaving the meeting yesterday. He said the flight restrictions don’t allow training over O’ahu, but would allow it over water. He said that’s just too risky, though, and added the ban will hurt his business.

But O’Reilley said he wasn’t surprised by the restrictions.

“He’s the president,” he said.

Pat Magie, owner of Island Seaplane Service, said the restrictions mean he won’t be able to do any training and also can’t take tours, since he can’t land in Kane’ohe Bay. “I’m out of business,” Magie said.

“I can’t fly for two weeks.”

The White House has not yet confirmed the president’s holiday visit.

But sources say Obama and his family are expected to be on O’ahu from Wednesday through Jan. 2.

Obama, who was born in Hawai’i and graduated from Punahou School, has not been back to the Islands since being sworn in as president. He was president-elect when he and his family had a 12-day vacation at a beachfront home in Kailua last December, and still a candidate when he visited his dying grandmother in October 2008 and enjoyed a summer break and local fundraiser in August 2008.

[anglian]

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091220/NEWS01/912200366/Obama+visit+restricts+tours

[Harley]

But sources say Obama and his family are expected to be on O’ahu from Wednesday through Jan. 2.

Can't believe it's going to take him that long to cook up a new birth certificate.

[reg45]

How about we let Hawaii withdraw from the United States. It can revert to a monarchy. They can elect 0bama as the new King of Hawaii - “King Watabozo”

[Logical me]

I’m not impressed. We’re being ripped off at $4000 a night. Wonder what it cost to house the Secret Service?

For his first term it will be in the billions. This child like nitwit won the lottery and he will suck us dry.

[STARWISE]

I believe this is the estate.

Photo Slideshow

With Hawaii nearly 5,000 miles from Washington, D.C. — at least a 10-hour flight — the westernmost state may not be a practical destination for Obama to make frequent trips, but friends have said he is likely to continue coming here for Christmas vacations.

If he does, the Kailua estate seems well designed to become a part-time presidential retreat. The property sits on a peninsula, with a single narrow road leading to it, offering plenty of privacy. David Zimel, whose firm, Paradise Point Estates, owns the property, said he helped Secret Service agents secure the property the week before Obama arrived.

"They love the situation," Zimel said. "It's an absolutely perfect setting for him because it's at the end of the beach."

Still, beaches in Hawaii are public property, and an enterprising paparazzo from a California-based photo agency was able to walk onto Kailua beach and snap dozens of photographs of a shirtless Obama, his wife and their children, apparently within sight of Secret Service agents.

A few gawkers have come to the guard stand near the home, hoping to see the president-elect.

Behind the wall, the Obamas are enjoying stunning seaside views from the master bedroom, heavy granite in the kitchen and detailed woodwork throughout. Tiki torches dot the manicured yard, while the recently remodeled interior features stone imported from Peru, Jerusalem and Italy, Zimel said.

Decorated with a cut Christmas tree and poinsettias, the home is where the Obamas opened presents Thursday morning and were to enjoy a traditional dinner of turkey and ham.

One of Obama's high school friends in Hawaii negotiated a deal to rent the multimillion-dollar homes late this summer, Zimel said.

The entire Kailua neighborhood once was the private estate of Samuel Castle, a sugar magnate whose Castle & Cooke company was one of the Big Five firms that dominated Hawaiian politics for decades. The Obamas' rental sits near land that used to be Castle's horse pasture and skeet ranch, neighbors said.

When Obama first walked through the house upon arrival on Saturday, "he just smiled," Zimel said. "A few times we heard a 'Wow'. "

Singer Cher was rumored to have been interested in buying the property a few years ago but never closed on a sale, Howell said. Asked if the estate is Oahu's most luxurious, she replied, "Oh, heavens, yes."

[Seven plus One]

Why the hell does he not go to his real home in Chicago

Because it it's sleeting here. Besides, it isn't his house. It belongs to Rezko's lawyer, I think.

[grey_whiskers]

Two words, kristinn.

Carbon. Footprint.

Cheers!

...and Merry Christmas.

[Nepeta]

That might actually be a plus. He doesnt klnow what to do in an emergency anyway.

All too true. But the adults probably have to get his approval of actions before they take them. If the North Koreans launch a missile into downtown Seoul, for example, I suspect there would be a consultation with The One, even though he would not have any idea how to react.

[Nepeta]

It looks so humble and homey, just the place for a family Christmas.

It also makes me wonder what kind of place Obama will go to after the WH--clearly he thinks he deserves some sort of palace. Perhaps we will get lucky and he will build a new palace in Hawaii, and we will not have to look at him for years after leaving office the way we had to do with Clinton, who could not seem to come to terms with the reality that he was no longer president.

I recall reading that UberAwfulBadGuyBush spent Christmasses at the WH so his Secret Service people could be home with their families at Christmas. I thought that was a classy thing to do. Can anyone verify this?

[Mila]

“I recall reading that UberAwfulBadGuyBush spent Christmasses at the WH so his Secret Service people could be home with their families at Christmas. I thought that was a classy thing to do. Can anyone verify this?”

I looked this up when it was mentioned before on a thread. They spent a few days at Christmas at Camp David and then they flew to Texas where they saw the New Year in at the Crawford Ranch.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/12/23/bushs_last_camp_david_christma.html

[Fresh Wind]

Why the hell does he not go to his real home in Chicago

Haven't you heard? The Beneficent One converted it into a homeless shelter for the less fortunate victims of the Bush recession.

[CaliforniaCon]

The Reagans would go to their spartan horse ranch near Santa Barbara, where I believe an item on the menu was always ‘monkey bread.’ GWB went to his own ranch near Waco.

Why is it the Dems never seem to own their own property? Clinton never owned anything until well after he left office as I recall.

And what’s wrong with Camp David for a family Christmas? Seems it would be lovely this time of year and most other presidents used it more often.

I read that some residents of the area blocked off for
Dear Leader are not pleased and no doubt this will cut into tourism around the area as well. Not only is Obozo taking his own family to Oahu, he is dragging along the rest of the motley crew as well, just as he did in Europe months ago. Remember those photos of the extended family and friends? Geesh!

[CaliforniaCon]

RE: “Saw a tour earlier tonight on TV.
The master bedroom is supposed to be the best feature.

He rented the 2 houses next door for ‘visitors’ also.

It’s good to be king.”

*************

Yes, the estate is quite grandiose — and how lovely that he ‘rented’ two extra homes as well for the hangers-on!

Rush Limbaugh is headed for Hawaii as well per his own words the other day — but I’m sure he will be on another island, far from the hoi polloi!

[backhoe]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again-- Duh!1's "presidency" is a laughable mixture of:

And "Movin' On Up!"

Unfortunately,

[Paige]

About the grandmother, Obama didn't rush to Hawaii to as a loving family would have done. When he finally did go to Hawaii, the grandmother was cremated, which raised a red flag.

[Lion Den Dan]

He is walking in a winter wonderland.