See this report with very interesting charts
VII. Conclusion
Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 aware of the public’s concern with excessive Presidential travel. During the 1992 Presidential campaign, Clinton even made an issue of this when he criticized his opponent, President George H. W. Bush, for spending too much time overseas and dodging his responsibilities at home. While in New Hampshire, candidate Clinton stated, "It is time for us to have a president who cares more about Littleton, N.H., than about Liechtenstein; more about Manchester than Micronesia."
17Later that year at the Democratic National Convention in New York, "George Bush’s Around the World Tour" T-shirts were distributed, which listed all of the countries visited by Bush. Ironically, by the time he left office in January 2001, Clinton had become the all-time champion of Presidential travel. He set Presidential records such as 1) total visits, 2) visits per year, 3) total days abroad, and 4) days abroad per year.
The various controversies of the closing days of his Administration have led to fresh questions about Bill Clinton and the Presidency itself. This paper suggests new tough questions that need to be asked about Bill Clinton and Presidential travel. First, do Presidents in the post-Cold War era need to travel as much as Clinton did? Second, what about costs? We want Presidents to travel safely, but do taxpayers have to shell out as much for all future Presidential trips as they did for Clinton’s trips? Third, how extensive was the abuse of federal travel during the Clinton years? Were the thousands of invited guests all needed? Were the travel perks given to Bettie Currie and Kathleen Willey exceptions to the rule or part of a far more common pattern?
With a new President in the Oval Office, Congress and the American public may want to review the facts of Bill Clinton’s travels and seek answers to these important questions.
John Berthoud is President of the National Taxpayers Union.
Demian Brady is a Policy Analyst with the National Taxpayers Union.
Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 aware of the public’s concern with excessive Presidential travel. During the 1992 Presidential campaign, Clinton even made an issue of this when he criticized his opponent, President George H. W. Bush, for spending too much time overseas and dodging his responsibilities at home. While in New Hampshire, candidate Clinton stated, "It is time for us to have a president who cares more about Littleton, N.H., than about Liechtenstein; more about Manchester than Micronesia."17 Later that year at the Democratic National Convention in New York, "George Bush’s Around the World Tour" T-shirts were distributed, which listed all of the countries visited by Bush. Ironically, by the time he left office in January 2001, Clinton had become the all-time champion of Presidential travel. He set Presidential records such as 1) total visits, 2) visits per year, 3) total days abroad, and 4) days abroad per year.
The various controversies of the closing days of his Administration have led to fresh questions about Bill Clinton and the Presidency itself.
Why am I NOT surprised? Hypocrisy in the 'RAT party is so prevalent. This is the same administration that was going to have the 'most ethical administration' in U.S. history. Yeah, right ! Another promise broken !!
Let's compare and contrast the current President Bush with x42 Xlintoon:
