14 DAY TRIAL // First Daughters Sasha and Malia are now on vacation in the Bahamas, on spring break, it has emerged. After their presence there was confirmed by various media outlets, the backlash against the President began.
While the Obamas always pay for their vacations out of their own money, the cost of the security detail falls on the taxpayers.
Malia’s trip to Mexico last year, for instance, is believed to have cost $115,000 (€90,125) in security alone and that’s money coming out of Americans’ pockets.
This is enough to scandalize GOP Congressman Steve King, who, in a recent radio interview, criticized Obama for spending money freely while approving cuts for pretty much everyone else.
King was taking calls from listeners, when one particular man went on line to say that he found it “hard to stomach” that the Obama girls were vacationing in the Bahamas, MSNBC reports.
“When we’re tightening our belts, either all of us should do it or none of us should do it. This – I am pretty tolerant, I always have been, I usually shut my mouth. This is not acceptable,” the caller said.
King agreed with him, telling him, “You’re on point.”
He went on to say that this isn’t the first time when Obama does that either.
“He sent the daughters to spring break in Mexico a year ago. That was at our expense, too, and now to the Bahamas at one of the most expensive places there. That is the wrong image to be coming out of the White House,” King continued.
Because Obama isn’t lacking people to defend him, voices online are already saying that the whole thing has been blown out of proportion, especially considering that he hasn’t taken that many days of vacation, compared to other Presidents.
For instance, President Bush had 1,020 vacation days over 8 years of Presidency, whereas Obama only 131 during his first term.