Question for you... When is going yachting during a crisis bad but going golfing during the same crisis ok? Answer... thats an easy one... when you are Barack Obama. The White House was quick to criticize BPs chief executive for going yachting in the midst of the Gulf oil spill but they sing a different tune when the countrys chief executive goes to concerts and golf outings during the same crisis. Is Obama on the job or what?
As noted in the Washington Post White House spokesman Bill Burton mocked BP CEO Tony Hayward for taking his yacht out on the water saying You know look if Tony Hayward wants to put a skimmer on that yacht and bring it down to the Gulf wed be happy to have his help.
Tony Hayward I guess took himself at his word that he was going to get his life back here. Its clear that he has Burton said. But whats important to us is that the people in the Gulf get their lives back. Its not so easy for them to just take a weekend away and forget about everything thats happening down there.
But what was Obama doing this weekend? He went golfing and according to Burton thats ok: I dont think that theres a person in this country that doesnt think that their president ought to have a little time to clear his mind. A little time to clear his mind? Is he kidding me? Its clear from Obamas performance in office that there is nothing upstairs at all! He has no leadership skills no management skills and he certainly doesnt know how to connect with the American people. While others are losing their jobs and scrambling to figure out how to pay the bills Obama is golfing because his job is just so stressful. Give me a break! The Hill reports Saturdays golf outing was the 39th of his presidency. On Friday Obama took off for a Major League Baseball game. A few weeks ago he was hosting a concert by Paul McCartney. The fact is that Obama just doesnt get it. President Bush gave up golf while in office saying he didnt think it was appropriate that he keep playing while troops were fighting in Iraq. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Sunday that Obama can no longer take his eye off the oil. Was his eye ever on it? Has he EVER stepped in and exerted leadership for the sake of leading and not just using a crisis to advance a socialist agenda?Steele: While it is fitting and appropriate to look at the yachting activities of the BP CEO with incredulity it is equally incredible that President Obama finds himself on yet another golf course as oil continues to spew into the Gulf. Until this problem is fixed no more golf outings no more baseball games no more Beatle concerts Mr. President. The stakes are too high for President Obamas lackadaisical approach to both his responsibilities and the challenges we face.
Of course the media find a distinct difference between yachting and golfing. As noted by NewsBusters.org the Sunday political talk shows on the various television networks all pilled on the yachting story yet there was no outrage directed at Obama for his golfing.Of course no one is defending Haywards poor public relations move here.
Instead if media are going to spend so much time on his yacht outing making the case that it shows how detached he is from his companys crisis the same MUST be said of a President that is golfing as millions of gallons of oil slam into HIS nations coast.
Without similar scorn our press are just once again demonstrating their infamous double standard -- not that were at all surprised.
Massive debt out of control spending continued high unemployment a Gulf coast disaster and on and on while Obama lives it up. If Obama is on the job then I want that job!
