First a Bus Tour and Then A Vineyard Vacation for Obama

First a multi day bus tour across the midwest for the re-election campaign, then a ten day vacation with the family on Martha's Vineyard. Life is good for Barack Obama.

Remember just a couple of days ago when President Obama pledged that he and Congress were going to get after that lingering, slow economic recovery? Well, after the five week Congressional vacation, that is. So, why should Obama stay at the office if everyone else is out of town? Let's party.

I realize that after what we just went through, there’s some skepticism that Republicans and Democrats on the so-called super committee, this joint committee that’s been set up, will be able to reach a compromise, but my hope is that Friday’s news will give us a renewed sense of urgency. I intend to present my own recommendations over the coming weeks on how we should proceed. And that committee will have this administration’s full cooperation. And I assure you, we will stay on it until we get the job done.

Never mind the legislation putting the committee into force specifically leaves the President and his input out of the process. Suddenly, after failing to do so for 2 years, now the President claims he'll offer his own suggestions.

First the bus tour.

President Barack Obama’s upcoming bus tour through the Midwest states typically viewed as swing states during presidential election years will be paid for by the taxpayers, the White House says.

Obama will start the tour on Aug. 15 and will talk about strengthening jobs and the economy, the White House announced on Tuesday.

I sure hope that campaign bus is retro-fitted to be a 'green' bus. Think of the carbon footprint.

There is no doubt to realists that this is a campaign tour or a coincidence that swing states were chosen for visits. It is the Obama pattern.

A USA Today story published on July 17 asserted that half of the travels Obama made to 40 states (over the last 2.5 years) were to swing states, also called battleground states, or because they are not predictably red (Republican heavy) or blue (Democrat heavy), or purple states. Those swing states likely will determine the winner of the 2012 presidential race.

Presidential mouthpiece Jay Carney grew a bit testy when questioned if the bus tour was a campaign stunt or a presidential tour.

“The air of cynicism is quite thick,” Carney shot back. “The idea that the president of the United States should not venture forth into the country is ridiculous.”

Wonder why that question came up? Me, neither.

As pointed out in this article, the states were all in the Obama column in 2008. Probably just a coincidence that he wants to favor them with a visit.

President Obama's team has announced the stops for next week's bus tour, and they're all states he carried in 2008.

The tour on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will roll though southern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and western Illinois, the administration announced.

Then he'll need a vacation after all that hard work, schmoozing with voters. So, he's going to Martha's Vineyard with the family. Presidential mouthpiece Carney defended that, too.

Carney added that there's really no such thing as a presidential vacation since Obama will travel with his aides, receive regular briefings on national security and the economy and be able to return to Washington if necessary.

"The presidency travels with you. He will be in constant communication," Carney said at the White House briefing.

Yes. It's only bad if a GOP President goes out of town for relaxation. Remember the constant ridicule of George W. Bush and his trips to his own property in Texas, also equipped specifically to be a western White House, including facilities for the press briefings?

My suggestion would be for the President to call the members of the committee together and task them with beginning work immediately on the resolution needed by the November deadline.

Is that too much to ask? There is no need to wait five more weeks for the work to begin.