No kidding.... he couldn't find a closer (and cheaper) place to watch a play such as the Kennedy Center? (Please no Ford's Theater jokes) $77,000 isn't cheap.

How Obamas' romantic £120 trip to Broadway racked up a £45,000 bill

By David Gardner
Last updated at 9:07 AM on 01st June 2009

...that's for three private jets, two helicopter rides, extra planes for security and closing roads for motorcade

It was a campaign pledge that Barack Obama didn't dare break - a promise to take his wife out for dinner and a show once the election was over.

So on the weekend he booked a babysitter, asked Michelle to put on a little black dress and swept her off for a date.

The President picked up the tab for a meal at a low-key restaurant, Blue Hill, that specialises in locally grown dishes.

He had also paid £60 apiece for two tickets to Joe Turner's Come And Gone, a play about a man coming to terms with the history of slavery.
As a little extra, he shelled out for two martinis to toast his first five months in the White House.

Overall, not too extravagant, and few would begrudge the hard-working couple such a treat.

Unfortunately, there were one or two other bills to settle at the end of the night.

The romantic jaunt is estimated to have cost the taxpayer more than £45,000 in transport and security costs - because the date was in New York.
The President used three planes, one to carry the couple and two to ferry aides and reporters all the way from Washington.
The cost of each flight was thought to be nearly £15,000.

The bill was pushed even higher with the use of two helicopters, one to take the Obamas to catch their plane in Washington and another to zip the party into Manhattan from JFK airport.

Police also shut down New York streets for the motorcade to pass through so they could get to their date on time.

All the transport and security costs were picked up by the White House.
But the President was unapologetic, saying: 'I am taking my wife to New York City because I promised her during the campaign that I would take her to a Broadway show after it was all finished.'

In one concession to the tough economic climate, the couple flew on a smaller Gulfstream rather than the Boeing 747 customarily used as the presidential Air Force One.

However, Gail Gitcho, of the Republican National Committee, said Mr Obama could just as easily have taken his wife to see a show in Washington for a fraction of the cost.
'If President Obama wants to go to the theatre, isn't the presidential box at the Kennedy Centre good enough?' she said.

The Republican Party slammed the President for taking an extravagant outing at a time when American car giant General Motors is set to plunge into bankruptcy.

'As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan's theatre district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills,' read the statement issued before the trip



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...-bill.html

.....'if this were a Republican....'

I think NY city is full of Press to cover Obama's trip to Broadway, not quite sure why he took the Whitehouse Press corp and others, other than to schmooze them for further good press.


Remember when the Media was able to make an issue out of Sarah Palin's clothes? To try and thwart who she actually was, which is like 85% of female voters in the country.

I don't want any President held hostage to the WH. Personal Presidential excursions at taxpayer expense is one of the understood realities of being a taxpayer.

It beats still paying the Queen lol

Quote:It was a campaign pledge that Barack Obama didn't dare break - a promise to take his wife out for dinner and a show once the election was over.

Yeah, Barry never breaks his promises.

"Sure, Michelle, I'll quit smoking."

"No tax increases of any kind if you make under $250,000."

Of all the promises he could have honored, why this one?

That would have paid for 1 year's employment for a auto union worker. Where's the UAW's outrage?

(06-01-2009 10:40 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  That would have paid for 1 year's employment for a auto union worker. Where's the UAW's outrage?

Obama should live poor and eat gubment mac and cheese. I'm outraged!

(06-02-2009 06:55 AM)egoboss407 Wrote:  

(06-01-2009 10:40 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  That would have paid for 1 year's employment for a auto union worker. Where's the UAW's outrage?

Obama should live poor and eat gubment mac and cheese. I'm outraged!

No, that's what he wants all of us to do.
He's part of the ruling class, they're different.
They don't cling to their guns and religion.

I do agree that this is a very small matter and should be dropped.

I'm no Obama fan but I think this is much ado about nothing. Yes it was expensive but this is about the cost of guarding the office of the President, it does not matter what political party or who it is. I'm glad he was able to go out on a date with his wife. JMO

(06-02-2009 08:10 AM)MemphisTigerPawr Wrote:  I'm no Obama fan but I think this is much ado about nothing. Yes it was expensive but this is about the cost of guarding the office of the President, it does not matter what political party or who it is. I'm glad he was able to go out on a date with his wife. JMO

The expense of taking your wife out for a night on the town vs. grabbing the first intern you see outside of your office for a quickie.

At least he didn't take a month long vacation, completely ignoring terrorist reports.

I hate to break it to Obama, but Camelot is dead. and He's no John Kennedy. Michelle reminds me more of the wicked witch.

While the media still swoons over the Messiah, many still see him as out of touch with the real world. This points to just that. Now the loony lefters can point to other bad behavior as some weird justification, but it comes down to one thing. Bad Timing, Bad decision making. he does seen to have a lot of that happening to him.

(06-02-2009 06:55 AM)egoboss407 Wrote:  

(06-01-2009 10:40 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  That would have paid for 1 year's employment for a auto union worker. Where's the UAW's outrage?

Obama should live poor and eat gubment mac and cheese. I'm outraged!

You were outraged when the Big 3 auto execs flew to Washington on official company business, so why the sarcasm when the latest self appointed auto CEO jets around just so he can impress his wife? His ******* job is to impress me.

I'm always outraged!