The Obama's Christmas vacation in Hawaii (Photos)

[Playinghardball]

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, December 22, Honolulu, Hawaii








Found on the Obamadiary.com

[kentuck]

1. Look at the President's eyes.

I'm sure this will be in Freeperland very soon.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Red eye is common when you have flash pictures. It is easy to fix, and should have been.

Too bad it wasn't fixed.

Otherwise, the pictures are wonderful, and I know they're happy to be there.

[txwhitedove]

2. Lovely family. Thanks for post about Christmas, vacations, Hawaii, anything but guns.

[dballance]

4. Lovely Photos

Why anyone would want that job baffles me. Not a moment away from work 24/365 even if you're on "vacation" unless you're W. I'm pretty sure he checked out on vacation. Not a moment of privacy for you or your family.

It's no wonder they all turn grey during their time in office.

Have a great time in HI Obamas.

[freshwest]

6. That was my first thought, too. My second thoughts I posted as well.

[southernyankeebelle]

23. When my husband and I lived at Ft Belvoir in VA we had a next door neighbor that went out

to the different places the president was going to be going to all over the world and here in the states. When he was gone we knew the president was going somewhere before long. He was always gone from home. Safety was always a concern.

[CheapShotArtist]

34. "Why anyone would want that job baffles me."

The only good reason I can think of is because it pays pretty good. Otherwise, yeah...being POTUS is both an exhausting and thankless job. As much as an arm-chair president I am, I'd never want to endure all the shit from the wingnuts that Obama has.

[Auntie Bush]

35. And you and your precious family always at risk of being killed...especially with todays crazies!

[Ilsa]

36. Pay equals out to about $45.66/hour for

24/365 work and on call. LOL.

And that with Michelle working "for free".

[freshwest]

5. I'm struck by the beauty of these three gorgeous, stylishly dressed, long legged women. *envy*

But I wanna see some surfing photos, too!

[ellie]

7. The girls are getting so tall!

I am completely jealous. Everyone in my family is taller than me, all five brothers, my two sisters, even my 80 year old mom.

[Voice for Peace]

8. I wish them a wonderful restful joyful holiday

with much love and appreciation

[Garion_55]

9. is it really costing 5 million?

thats what all the nuts are screaming.

[Cha]

10. Key word is "nuts"..

[MotherPetrie]

13. I don't know and I don't care.

[Hekate]

15. What do you think it cost for Dubya? The major difference is...

... that President Obama hardly ever takes a vacation and Dubya spent almost more time away from Washington than in it. This, btw, is all checkable.

Do the wingnuts think Dubya rode a horse out to Texas all those times? No, he also took Airforce One. And since he was using it so much more, he cost us a lot more in Airforce One time for his brush clearin' vacations than the Obamas do for their time out of DC.

As for it being Hawai'i, it's not like the Islands are on the Moon. Millions of people vacation there every year, and they fly from places farther away than the East Coast. It's his home state, and he retains a strong connection to it.

Sorry, Garion, you hit a nerve. You can quote me if you like.

Hekate

[Victor_c3]

18. I love how all of the republicans complain about him going to Hawaii

it's like they forget that he was from that state and he is just going home...

[GoCubsGo]

26. They were silent when Dumbya went to the Beijing Olympics, too.

That was a vacation, not official business. And, I guarantee you that trip cost way more than this trip. There hero, the sainted Ronald Reagan took almost as many trips to his ranch in Santa Barbara as Dumbya took to his fake ranch. Not even a peep from these crybaby assholes then, either. Screw 'em.

[NYC Liberal]

16. Who cares? Honestly...

EVERY president takes vacations and they ALL cost money, mostly because of the security required.

I am sure any president, no matter what party, would be happy to be able to take a vacation without all the security. But the reality is the president needs to be protected and he can't just lock himself up in the White House 24/7.

The complaints about Bush were almost always about how much vacation he was taking, not about the cost of security.

[heaven05]

20. SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gollygee]

21. Wow. Even Glenn Beck only says $4 million.

And I'm sure he'd never exaggerate. But you're a million beyond that.

[SaveAmerica]

29. I wish there was a way to make only the Rs pay for

their vacation, funnel just their tax dollars to pay for the costs. (This one has been particularly horrible online, one lie after another, his tax refund will go for the Obama family's luau pig).

Based on all of the GARBAGE that has been sent their way from nasty-mouthed, black-hearted Republicans, not to mention constant lying and name-calling (including saying that Michelle isn't the kind of first lady the US wants, even suggesting she isn't human!!) I say they have earned every moment and every cent needed to pay for this much deserved break.

[bhikkhu]

30. Think of it as a little economic stimulus for a beautiful state

And for the most part, the whole retinue is on the payroll anyway...if you look at the job, a few days of vacation here and there should be about mandatory.

When I think of the repug teabagger congressmen living at their offices at the capitol, eating at the cafeteria, hardly ever leaving the building (there was a story about them the other day), all I could think is I'd rather be represented by someone who had an actual life - someone who had a family, people to sit around their own kitchen table with, a dog, etc - than be represented by some troglodyte living and breathing politics, seldom seeing the sun or breathing clean air.

[Initech]

33. Whatever Obama does the nuts and racist dipshits will find fault with.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. FINALLY FINALLY

They can hopefully get a tiny bit of rest. They have been going non-stop all year.

ENJOY and thank you Obama family, for your sacrifice and ability to function with grace while under a constant barrage of vitriol. You are the model of what America can be for many of us!!

[Cha]

12. Thanks Play.. I love the contrast between

before they left and when they arrived..







http://theobamadiary.com/

[MotherPetrie]

14. Thanks. It is good to see such a happy family.

[Snarkoleptic]

17. Hope they have a relaxing and Merry Christmas.

There's nothing like that fresh Hawaiian air when you first leave the plane. (except maybe driving behind a pineapple truck)

[heaven05]

19. have fun

hope you get some rest after dealing with the rethug idiots and quislings.

[adigal]

22. I'm envious - I have a good life, but they have a GREAT life!

Happy family, great house to live in, great vacation. No money worries ever again.

I know there are negatives, especially security fears, but being POTUS is generally a great gig.

[southernyankeebelle]

24. They have a great life along with the headaches I would never want in my life.

They sure deserve every perk they receive for america. I think that of all the presidents no matter what party. Even if I can't stand their policies. I hope they get to enjoy their time.

[jberryhill]

28. As long as you don't mind innumerable people wanting to kill you 24/7

[Jennicut]

31. I would not want their life, at all.

Many describe living in the White House as like "a prison". You are surrounded by beautiful things but a Secret Service agent is always with you and your life is never private.

[patrice]

25. The Light, Love, and Peace of Christmas to Barack, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha! nt

[SaveAmerica]

27. Does Mama Obama look concerned to anyone else?

I thought maybe it was just the length of the flight and finally being able to rest, but the picture posted below comparing their clothes in Washington to their Hawaii clothes shows a concern I don't usually see in Michelle's pictures.

I hope they are able to just chill and have a great time.

[elfin]

32. My Goodness! Malia nearly as tall as her Dad! Georgeous. Eom

[Scurrilous]

37. Thanks!