Daily Mail Breaks Anti-Obama Speed Record
The U.K.’s Daily Mail, a newspaper well-known for its right-wing views, set a new record today, going from Obama “outrage” to Obama “fury” in less than two hours. This was their headline this morning: “Fist-bumps, high-fives and laughter: Outrage as cheery Obama hits the golf course for five-hour round IMMEDIATELY after his speech condemning ISIS for executing American journalist James Foley”
[su_center_ad]Apparently feeling that headline wasn’t strong enough, they changed it to this: “We will be relentless . . . right after my vacation: Fury as Obama is seen fist-bumping, high-fiving and laughing on the golf course just MINUTES after pledging justice for journalist James Foley”
The headlines were, of course, accompanied by color photos of a smiling Barack Obama fist-pumping and high-fiving his golfing companions.
We hate to break it to the Daily Mail, but Barack Obama isn’t the only president to play golf.
[su_sky_ad]
R.J. Carter August 21st, 2014 at 1:24 pm
“We hate to break it to the Daily Mail, but Barack Obama isn’t the only president to play golf.”
He just plays it so much more.
Kick Frenzy August 21st, 2014 at 2:06 pm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2724270/Obama-went-vacations-George-W-Bush-point-presidency.html
Let’s see, according to the article I linked to above, you’re… right!
“Obama has hit the links 186 times since taking office, according to Knoller’s records. Bush only played 24 rounds of golf throughout his entire presidency.”
But, it’s worth noting a couple other facts from the same article:
“As of yesterday, Obama had taken a total of 129 full or partial vacation days compared to Bush’s 381.
And those are just the days and times Bush visited his Prairie Chapel ranch in Texas. He also vacationed at his family’s property in Kennebunkport, Maine, seven times for a total of 26 days.”
“Knoller said he did not count trips to presidential retreat Camp David as vacations. But even if he had, Bush would have Obama beat in that category, too.
Obama has only taken 33 trips to Camp David throughout his two terms and has spent a total of 84 days there. Bush frequented the getaway stop 108 times over the same length of time and stayed there for a total of 341 days.”
“To take the title of vacationer-in-chief from Bush, Obama would need to take 879 days off before the end of his second term, the Washington Post states.”
Dwendt44 August 21st, 2014 at 4:13 pm
Don’t try to confuse them with facts. they are allergic
R.J. Carter August 21st, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Nice deflection from golf — where no work is getting done — to vacations, where (we’re told) the President still works remotely (Bush and Obama).
Kick Frenzy August 21st, 2014 at 10:23 pm
Let’s say only half the amount of normal work gets done on vacation… arbitrary and fairly meaningless, I know, but bear with me.
If that were the case though, then Obama would still have to golf a few hundred more times before equaling the amount of Bush had in total.
Plus, in my opinion, it seems like Obama is addressing things more thoroughly and persistently than Bush ever even came close to.
Not to mention, if we’re being honest, the Republicans are doing everything they can to keep him from getting anything done no matter where he is.
arc99 August 21st, 2014 at 2:07 pm
After almost six years of being the only President harassed about a birth certificate, if I were the President, I would play golf every f*cking day as a symbolic middle finger salute. Haters are going to hate, no matter what. May as well give them something to cram inside their empty heads as they call into their preferred talk radio show.
Yenta August 21st, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Excellent comment! I’d love it if he’d get that big grin, and extend his middle finger to them every single time he boards Air Force One! Because you KNOW they see red every time he gets on that jet and goes anywhere…on tax dollars that they cannot control!
Dwendt44 August 21st, 2014 at 4:11 pm
Actually flipping the bird at Congress would be an automatic impeachable offense.
Abby Normal August 21st, 2014 at 11:31 pm
More impeachable offenses for President Obama (according to the GOP): Getting up in the morning, drinking coffee, inhaling, exhaling . . . . .
mfr4 August 21st, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Since you bring it up, how many times? One of the great problems in the whole dysfunctional US political media circus is that people throw out lines like that with no backup. Please provide it and put it in context with other presidents.
R.J. Carter August 21st, 2014 at 4:25 pm
As of August 2, 2014: 184 times.
According to NPR, GW Bush played 24 times during 8 years, and stopped in 2003 after a truck bombing in Baghdad. “Playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal,” he said — a learning moment not indicated in the constant repetition of the “Now watch this drive” video clip.
He’s still got a ways to go, however, to catch up to Woodrow Wilson (1200!) and Dwight Eisenhower (800).
mfr4 August 21st, 2014 at 8:19 pm
Good, now explain why it’s relevant.
R.J. Carter August 22nd, 2014 at 11:53 am
Bush already explained that when he gave it up: “It sends the wrong signal.”
mfr4 August 22nd, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Sort of like saying (to paraphrase) Osama Bin Laden is not important enough track down, Do you really think that the president of the USA isn’t in touch while he is golfing ? This sort of story is such a waste of time and means absolutely nothing. I strongly suspect (although I don’t know) that Ali Khamenei in Iran has never been golfing. A better leader?
eaglesfanintn August 22nd, 2014 at 9:16 am
Sure, but what’s the count on “brush clearing”?
Yenta August 21st, 2014 at 3:21 pm
And play golf is so elitist, compared to “clearing brush” and “visiting with family and friends”, right? See my post above: “Vacationing Bush Poised to Set a Record”
maritzka August 22nd, 2014 at 10:30 am
Obama has long been criticized for his penchant for hitting the links despite the brewing crises across the globes.
But he has one unlikely defender, former President George W. Bush.
“I see our President criticized for playing golf. I don’t. I think he ought to play golf,” Bush said of his successor in a 2013 interview with the Golf Channel.
“I know the pressures of the job and to be able to get outside and play golf with some of your pals is important … it gives you an outlet.” http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/president-obama-golf-ball-found-article-1.1882777
OldLefty August 22nd, 2014 at 10:49 am
The only difference between now and previous presidents has been the pervasiveness of first the internet and now social media, repeating a meme, (usually from the opposition), ad nauseam and driving it into mass media.
viva_democracy August 22nd, 2014 at 11:34 am
If he hasn’t taken as many vacations as, say, GW, then there’s no way he could have played golf more. If you know something, link it.
R.J. Carter August 22nd, 2014 at 11:52 am
Read further down. Already done. Obama beats Bush 184 (and counting) to 24 in number of games played while in office.
mea_mark August 21st, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Unjustified hypocritical criticism from the right, if it wasn’t there I don’t what I would do. It would be like something very strange happened in the world that couldn’t possibly be explained. There is a certain comfort that comes from their screeching. When they go silent is when I worry the most.
NW10 August 21st, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Hurr hurr BARRY golfs, hurr hurr
Screw these right wing idiots. They’d call Obama lazy if a photo of him taking a crap was released.
And it’s telling that they say nothing as their Congressional reps are on vacation, maybe even doing a bit of golfing themselves.
tiredoftea August 21st, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Well, it’s a Brit paper, so they have a whole different set of legislative problems. Lazy, useless and obstructive members of Congress is our own special cross to bear.
Yenta August 21st, 2014 at 3:18 pm
“Vacationing Bush Poised to Set a Record” (Headline) “Bush’s long vacations are more than a curiosity: They play into diametrically opposite arguments about this leadership style. To critics and late-night comics, they symbolize a lackadaisical approach to the world’s most important day job, an impression bolstered by Bush’s periodic two-hour midday exercise sessions and his disinclination to work nights or weekends. The more vociferous among Bush’s foes have noted that he spent a month at the ranch shortly before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when critics assert he should have been more attentive to warning signs.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/02/AR2005080201703.html
marxestlennonist August 21st, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Well let us see who golfed before Obama. bush 1 and 2, Clinton,raygun Carter,tricky dicky kennedy, ford Eisenhour,Hover,collage plus a few more.
ChrisVosburg August 21st, 2014 at 4:40 pm
I bet Abe Lincoln would have loved golf, but sadly it hadn’t yet immigrated to the US.
Abby Normal August 21st, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Honest Abe would have been a great golfer. I can just picture him walking along a golf course in top hat and tails.
ChrisVosburg August 21st, 2014 at 4:53 pm
Or even sillier, decked out in this getup.
majii August 21st, 2014 at 6:31 pm
Errybody knows that the president should have gone into a 12 month period of mourning after addressing the issue of Mr. Foley’s death at the hands of ISIS, silly humans! /s/
viva_democracy August 22nd, 2014 at 11:31 am
I have been in Canada on business & this topic came up on one of the talk radio programs here. It’s not a huge right leaning station but close. They didn’t mention the Daily Mail but they were pretty much saying the same thing. Funny because I wanted to call in & ask them if they were aware of our Constitution & its limits it puts on POTUS. Did they expect him to send troops to battle? Well, that requires Congress. They seemed to think he should either be going to war or at the Pentagon reading reports. What is Obama supposed to do? I’d really love to hear a serious answer. I’m sure the CIA is already involved as well as other departments to find out who’s responsible. Why does he have to go to the WH when he can get briefings hourly, daily, whatever?