The Weekly Standard – by DANIEL HALPER
First Lady Michelle Obama will be accompanied by her children and her mother on her trip to China, which begins today. But she won’t be accompanied by the press.
“Michelle Obama’s trip to China starting on Wednesday will be nonpolitical, the White House says, a ‘people-to-people exchange’ emphasizing the importance that both nations place on education. As if to underscore the point, no reporters are traveling with the first lady, and she does not plan to give interviews while there,” reports the New York Times.
The White House is defending the first lady bringing her family along for the ride by saying it’s what the Chinese would want. “Tina Tchen, Mrs. Obama’s chief of staff and a first-generation Chinese-American, said a multigenerational visit would be appreciated by the Chinese, who value tradition,” says theTimes.
But in America, the trip is not without controversy. “Mrs. Obama is drawing scrutiny for her decision to travel with her mother and her two daughters, who are on spring break, bringing to mind a vacation she took to Spain in 2010 with her daughter Sasha and some friends. She and her entourage paid for their lodging and entertainment. But the security cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, and the trip was criticized as lavish.,” reads the report.
“Some conservative commentators are calling the China trip a junket. The White House will not say how much it will cost.”
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/no-reporters-michelle-obamas-trip-china_785529.html
““Michelle Obama’s trip to China starting on Wednesday will be nonpolitical, the White House says, a ‘people-to-people exchange’ emphasizing the importance that both nations place on education.”
Nonpolitical? People-to-people exchange? Importance of education?
Wow! Talk about spitting in our faces. I’m absolutely disgusted if they actually think we believe all of that.
It IS political (since she said it was non-political), it IS people-to-people exchange (hence why they don’t want reporters with them) and it IS about education (Communist Education).
Just change everything they said to the exact opposite and that’s what’s REALLY going on.
“The White House is defending the first lady bringing her family along for the ride by saying it’s what the Chinese would want.”
What the Chinese would want? Are you kidding me? What the Chinese would want is to keep her fat ass out of their country. They don’t want her in their country anymore than we do.
““Mrs. Obama is drawing scrutiny for her decision to travel with her mother and her two daughters, who are on spring break, bringing to mind a vacation she took to Spain in 2010 with her daughter Sasha and some friends.”
Gee….ya think. I wish I could bring my whole family wherever I go around the world on taxpayer’s expense. I don’t remember Chelsea or even Clinton’s mom going on vacation or trips abroad with them. Same with Bush’s family. This is infuriating!
TREASON!!!!
It is very hard to take, when we are being given death by a thousand cuts economically: rising gasoline prices (my monthly cost has gone up $40), rising property taxes (mine are up up $55 a month over the previous year), rising food prices (I find it very challenging and time consuming to spend less than $80 a week to feed my family of four, and believe me this is something I’m very good at!), rising health insurance prices and need I go on? My family was making it “just fine” but in a very basic way, even three years ago. My salary has even gone up slightly, and still the rising costs drastically outpace any salary increases. I would even say I am doing “well” compared with many, because I have a job, roof over my head, food (for now). But this trend is very disturbing. All extras have long been given up. Nothing new is being bought. Clothing is wearing out. I mean, my shoes are separating at the bottom and I’m going to have to figure out how to repair them soon. Only utilities, food, very basic things are being bought. I feel sad that I cannot do my part to support my local businesses as I used to. Like the shoe repair guy. Or the shoe salesman. Sorry!!
And gee, I’d love to take my kids on a spring break trip, too. Not happening. I mean, totally out of the question!
So yeah, trips like this by the first family — maybe once upon a time I wouldn’t have blinked at it, but right now it is very much smelling like that “let them eat cake” attitude. It looks bad, smells bad. You cannot whitewash this one. It is sending a horrible message to everyone. It smacks of that “recessionista!” mindset but even worse if they refuse to reveal the cost to taxpayers? How can that be? How can it be that I am made to pay for something that I’m not allowed to know how much it costs?
Very, very wrong and I wonder how many taxpayers are in favor of this trip.
“Very, very wrong and I wonder how many taxpayers are in favor of this trip.”
That would be ZERO!
I wonder why Michelle Obama isn’t taking his husband with him?