Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Every president gets criticized, often cheaply and on spec, for his well-earned August vacationing, but the flak increases when he rests while the economy tanks, and his favorite spot does not sit well with hoi polloi. A week at Kennebunkport in rough times was more harmful to George H.W. Bush than a month at Crawford, Texas was to George W. Bush when the economy was humming.
All that said, Obama's advisors erred more than usual in the Martha's Vineyard choice. As a man of the Left, Obama has spent nearly three years slamming the wealthy with canned Huey-Long them/us demagoguery (e.g., spread the wealth, billionaires and millionaires, corporate jet owners, unneeded income, pay their fair share, at some point making enough income, Super Bowl and Las Vegas corporate junketeering, etc.). So he is now earning the additional wage of hypocrisy by enjoying the very perks and haunts of the class he has most demonized. The 9.1% unemployment rate, crashing stock market, the debt downgrade, the no-growth economy, massive deficits and unsupportable debt, and explosive rises in fuel and food costs—all that should suggest to a populist Democrat to stay on the White House grounds, or go up to Camp David, or spend a few days back at his house in Chicago. And when he announced that he will finally present a plan of salvation—after 10 days at Martha's Vineyard—the PR only gets worse: golfing and beach walking will be seen as taking precedence over saving jobs.
Of course, these are mostly appearances, but they matter politically. And in that regard, they confirm prior Vail/Martha's Vineyard/Costa del Sol First Family get-away preferences. In Hard Times, at best a certain Marie Antoinette unreality is conveyed, at worst the images are hypocritical to the core: what is bad for thee, is very good for me. It turns out that to pay the $50,000 partial tab for his beachfront getaway, the President really does need his "unneeded income".
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Dec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
I want to know, what's wrong with Savannah or Charleston? The water is warmer, the beaches are longer, the mansions are statelier and the populace is much less... monochromatic.
As for Martha's Vineyard, I guess it's appropriate in one way for Obama: it's an extreme example of the divergence between the working poor and the vacationing rich. That makes it a great metaphor for Obama's America.
May '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
"La Dette c'est Moi". You may only remain as Prince Prospero in your economic version of The Masque Of Red Death for so long, Mr President. Eventually the plague arrives at the party, and claims you, and the other nobles.
Edited on August 19, 2011 at 8:02pmDec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Talleyrand: "La Dette c'est Moi". You may only remain as Prince Prospero in your economic version of The Masque Of Red Death for so long, Mr President. Eventually the plague arrives at the party, and claims you, and the other nobles. · Aug 19 at 11:01am
Edited on Aug 19 at 11:02 am
EAPoeFTW!!!
Jun '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
As Dana Perino pointed out, many of the days that GW Bush spent at his Texas ranch "on vacation," he was actually entertaining world leaders. He was not BEING entertained. He was entertaining. Heads of State wanted to meet with Bush at his ranch. They'd already seen the White House. They wanted to see a real Texas ranch instead.
Dec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Send them up to Perry's place.
Aug '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
For a fellow that is touted as being so very smart in all things, Obama displays a remarkably tin ear when it comes to his vacations. Even his own people have got to be thinking, "This doesn't look good."
Aug '11
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
I don't think his people are all that bright.
Dec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
I always loved the notion that GWB was "vacationing" in Crawford.
Besides the fact that he was going to his own home for extended periods so that all of the communications infrastructure was easily in place...have you ever been to Crawford in the summer?
It's no vacation. Also a good point, etoiledunord.
Jun '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Bravo! Dr. Hanson. It takes a Greek scholar…
Aug '11
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
But let's not get caught in the "Bush did it, too" game. George Bush is not the President anymore. What he did or did not do is immaterial in this situation.
It's always tricky to pull off the "Bush did it, too" finesse, so it surprises me when the left attempts it. If, for example, I have a criticism of President Obama, and a Democrat says "Bush did it, too!" then I say "that's not a defense of President Obama, that's a criticism of George Bush," or similarly "if it bothered you that George Bush did it, should not not also bother you when President Obama does it?"
Jun '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Dubya went to Crawford to punish the media. They fought for the Motel-6 to avoid having to stay at one of the down-scale motels, ate in diners, and sweated through clothes standing in the glaring Texas sun in 100+degree heat faster than the camera people could frame a shot. I can picture GW in the house with a lemonade just grinning.
Feb '11
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Cas Balicki
Bravo! Dr. Hanson. It takes a Greek scholar… · Aug 19 at 12:05pm
Thankfully, Dr Hanson can be counted on NOT to use "THE hoi polloi."
Sep '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Stuart Creque: I want to know, what's wrong with Savannah or Charleston? The water is warmer, the beaches are longer, the mansions are statelier and the populace is much less... monochromatic.
As for Martha's Vineyard, I guess it's appropriate in one way for Obama: it's an extreme example of the divergence between the working poor and the vacationing rich. That makes it a great metaphor for Obama's America. · Aug 19 at 10:49am
Oh, the Vineyard isn't monochromatic. Check out this article for example.
Jan '11
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Plus, the First Couple are taking two separate flights
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2011/08/19/michelles-separate-travel-costs-taxpayers-thousands/
I guess we now know why he has that fetish about corporate jets - after all, shouldn't such displays of extravagence be reserved only for the new elite?
Dec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Patrick in Albuquerque
Stuart Creque: I want to know, what's wrong with Savannah or Charleston? The water is warmer, the beaches are longer, the mansions are statelier and the populace is much less... monochromatic.
As for Martha's Vineyard, I guess it's appropriate in one way for Obama: it's an extreme example of the divergence between the working poor and the vacationing rich. That makes it a great metaphor for Obama's America. · Aug 19 at 10:49am
Oh, the Vineyard isn't monochromatic. Check out this article for example. · Aug 19 at 1:36pm
The upscale black population congregates in Oak Bluffs. In the summer, it’s the closest you can get to an urban atmosphere.
Up island, many, many miles away spread out along the rolling hills is where POTUS rents the reclusive compound, in an area where a town center consists of a few aging wood buildings.
The left always misrepresents and distorts this voluntary segregation each summer, while our historic first Islamic apostate president, similarly, exposes his duplicity as much in how he pretends not to be who he is as in his pretending to be what he is not.
Dec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Patrick in Albuquerque
Stuart Creque: I want to know, what's wrong with Savannah or Charleston? The water is warmer, the beaches are longer, the mansions are statelier and the populace is much less... monochromatic.
As for Martha's Vineyard, I guess it's appropriate in one way for Obama: it's an extreme example of the divergence between the working poor and the vacationing rich. That makes it a great metaphor for Obama's America. · Aug 19 at 10:49am
Oh, the Vineyard isn't monochromatic. Check out this article for example. · Aug 19 at 1:36pm
Nice - thanks for that. I wonder whether the Prez plans to check out the parties in Oak Bluffs....
Dec '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
DrewInWisconsin: But let's not get caught in the "Bush did it, too" game. George Bush is not the President anymore. What he did or did not do is immaterial in this situation.
It's always tricky to pull off the "Bush did it, too" finesse, so it surprises me when the left attempts it. If, for example, I have a criticism of President Obama, and a Democrat says "Bush did it, too!" then I say "that's not a defense of President Obama, that's a criticism of George Bush," or similarly "if it bothered you that George Bush did it, should not not also bother you when President Obama does it?" · Aug 19 at 12:06pm
How about the response, "So Obama is modeling himself on George W. Bush?"
Oct '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Did ask a Progressive about the size of Al Gores overall Carbon Footprint recently.The reply was, Well, He got the message out.
A good or bad message did not seem to matter in his mind.
Very disturbing thought proccess going on there. Guess Leading By Example is a dead horse anymore.
Nov '10
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
:-) !!
And also, because W truly has a place he considers to be home.
Jan '11
Re: Martha's Vineyard: An Escape from the Plebs
Come on, Professor Hanson. Certainly you're familiar with the French Socialist maxim:
"Vote Left, but live Right."
Have Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the Sofitel already faded from memory?