President takes month-long vacation

August 3, 2001 5:23 AM

President takes month-long vacation After 6 months of delegating work to Cheney and others, who doesn't deserve a vacation three-times longer than the average American earns in a year? Good work Dubya! It's Miller Time!
posted by fleener (44 comments total)

I found the last paragraph to be pretty disturbing:

"Clinton is the only president to include polling data in the selection of a vacation spot. He went to Wyoming in 1995 and 1996 after hiking and camping were found to be favored activities among key swing voters. In the other years, Clinton preferred the exclusive venue of Martha's Vineyard and still does. He'll be there next week."

If I were president, I would take my vacation where I want, not where the polls say. I don't think I would take one after only working six months, and it definitely wouldn't be a month long. What happened to the American work ethic?
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 5:55 AM on August 3, 2001

Hey fleen, what would you prefer: Bush relaxing comfortably at the ranch, or Bush on the job in DC?

I wish they'd all take vacations, somewhere near the ocean, where a array of short piers might be employed for long walks.
posted by UncleFes at 6:11 AM on August 3, 2001

Maybe this whole pretending to be President thing was too much for poor W. :(
posted by thewittyname at 6:25 AM on August 3, 2001

Clinton was subject to polling data for choosing his VACATION spots? That is hilarious!
posted by glenwood at 6:29 AM on August 3, 2001

Maybe if Bush listened more to poll data he would be better in touch with the opinions of the nation, and wouldn't do boneheaded things like taking a month-long vacation after only six months on the job.
posted by owen at 6:41 AM on August 3, 2001

Hey Unc, you don't know me well enough for us to be on a first syllable basis.

To answer your question, I would prefer that Bush stayed in Washington and made his own decisions (for a change). A child could make better, more honest decisions than this administration, so why not let the child decide? The Supreme Court did after all elect him.
posted by fleener at 6:47 AM on August 3, 2001

Is anyone really surprised by this or anything that has happened in the Bush Administration over the last 6 months?
posted by quirked at 6:51 AM on August 3, 2001

Hey Unc, you don't know me well enough for us to be on a first syllable basis.

My apologies; just trying to promote an air of collegiality :)
posted by UncleFes at 7:02 AM on August 3, 2001

Bush will make brief outings to ''celebrate some of the values that strengthen America,'' says presidential counselor Karen Hughes.

Like Beer! Missionary Position Sex! And, of course, Judge Judy.

On second thought, I don't think I even needed to make a joke about that phrase.
posted by tweebiscuit at 7:04 AM on August 3, 2001

Much as I'd like to join in the Bush bashing, I have to say that long presidential vacations are hardly unusual. Reagan in particular took many of them. And it is August, after all, when lots of people, presidents included, take vacations. Congress is in recess, not as much is going on, this is a good time for it.

Besides, it's not like the president says, "Ok, I'm going on vacation now, tell the world to just sit tight for a month." It's always a working vacation.

C'mon people, let's try a little harder to find something of substance to use on Dubya. The guy's a wealth of material.
posted by anapestic at 7:13 AM on August 3, 2001

Hey Unc, you don't know me well enough for us to be on a first syllable basis.

Fleenburg, the fleen-meister, fleeny-beany-baby, fleen-o-rama.

How's that?
posted by lawtalkinguy at 7:17 AM on August 3, 2001

reagan sure did take a vacation. about 8 years of it.
posted by adampsyche at 7:25 AM on August 3, 2001

All Presidents take long vacations. Bash Bush policy, not his vacation.

However, I do seem to recall Bush Sr taking frequent trips to Camp David. It seemed he was there once a month at least. Can anyone confirm/deny this?
posted by dogmatic at 7:41 AM on August 3, 2001

Hey, Bush doesn't work harder, he works smar...

No, I suppose not.

I bet he was excited when they reminded him to take the football. "Yeah, that's right. Gotta get out there and toss the ol' pigskin around."
posted by pracowity at 7:42 AM on August 3, 2001

But Clinton was getting blown in the office. He didn't need a vacation=)
posted by justgary at 7:46 AM on August 3, 2001

Bush will make brief outings to ''celebrate some of the values that strengthen America,'' says presidential counselor Karen Hughes.

Like Beer! Missionary Position Sex! And, of course, Judge Judy.

tweebiscut:

Don't forget despoiling nature, cronyism, eroding the barrier between church and state, stymieing scientific research and stupidity.

(Note: And that's just the list from the last seven days.)

Maybe it is time for him to take a break...and resign....and have Cheney and Dennis Hastert fall over dead....All hail President Byrd!
posted by thewittyname at 7:48 AM on August 3, 2001

It doesn't matter if Dubya spends the next 4 years in Baja Oklahoma so long as Cheney And Friends are in Washington still making all the decisions.
All that is needed is a cardboard cutout placed in the Oval office and the promise NOT to do press conferences.
Mommy Karen is quite capable of speaking for the puppet...er...Dubya.
posted by nofundy at 7:50 AM on August 3, 2001

wittyname, I'll never understand how Senators can have such Goddamn ugly Websites...
posted by tweebiscuit at 7:53 AM on August 3, 2001

Pushing the ANWR drilling just took a lot out of the guy. I know after I try to get some oil drilling done on a reserve I like to take a long vacation somewhere where I'm not standing over a few million gallons of oil.
posted by skallas at 8:18 AM on August 3, 2001

As I said on my own site, I wouldn't mind so much that he's being so ... lazy ... (my New England puritanism rears its ugly head), if he'd use the famous 'bully pulpit' to stand up and give a speech about how Americans are overworked, and in a civilized society we should -all- get 4-6 weeks off per year. But, I'm not holding my breath.
posted by Medley at 8:27 AM on August 3, 2001

Actually, Clinton polling for vacation spots is another reason for me to like him.

Clinton was so obsessively concerned with the will of the people he even asked them where he should go on vacation. The job description is 'public servant' after all.

Call me a Bill Clinton apologist, but I'd take him back in a (mechanically regulated) heartbeat.

And the idea of not seeing Bush for 30 days sounds fine to me, maybe the cringe-lines on my face will start to fade.
posted by joemaller at 8:39 AM on August 3, 2001

The Washington Post-ABC poll released earlier this week shows President Bush at a personal favorability of 63-34; and a job approval of 59-38.
posted by revbrian at 8:48 AM on August 3, 2001

who the hell said it, that worse is better? i want to say kafka or even trotsky. i always thought that bush winning would be the best thing because once he got done f'ing up the country for four years, people would be so sick of his crap that we would elect anybody over him. a 20 point lead in his job approval rating? are we that numb?

pass that generic prozac, and move me up north, you hoser.
posted by adampsyche at 9:07 AM on August 3, 2001

But Clinton was getting blown in the office. He didn't need a vacation=)
HAHAHAHA

Very True. Hiding in the office with an intern sure beats playing nice nice for the cameras with Hilary.
posted by a3matrix at 9:39 AM on August 3, 2001

Bill Clinton spent FAR more on travel expenses than any president before him and we don't know what the hell he was doing half the time during those travels. I would take a wild guess it was sneaky vacations.

This is really a silly thing to be bashing GW over the head with.
posted by glenwood at 10:50 AM on August 3, 2001

i always thought that bush winning would be the best thing because once he got done f'ing up the country for four years, people would be so sick of his crap that we would elect anybody over him.

Now THIS is classic. Being so partisan that you WANT someone to "fuck up the country" just so you can be sure someone you agree with is elected next. Now THAT's patriotism! Wishing ill for the people of your country so that your team can win next time.

Nice!
posted by glenwood at 10:52 AM on August 3, 2001

What an irresponsible deadbeat. Let's fire him.
posted by rushmc at 10:53 AM on August 3, 2001

Being so partisan that you WANT someone to "fuck up the country" just so you can be sure someone you agree with is elected next. Now THAT's patriotism! Wishing ill for the people of your country so that your team can win next time.

It's the Nader way.
posted by dogmatic at 10:54 AM on August 3, 2001

Ok, now I know this was a topic to do the usual MeFi Bush Bashing and that's fine, opinions are just that, opinions. But, do you think that the president, any president (Bush Jr, Bush Sr, Clinton, Reagan, Carter, blah, blah, blah) really takes a vaction? I haven't been president and would never wish that on anybody, but I can almost be 99.4% sure that he does some kind of work or is updated on some kind of important information during his "vacation". I'm a programmer/analyst for a small company and I don't even get a full week's vacation without getting bugged about something going wrong, so I doubt the ruler of our country does either.

haha, could you imagine being the president and taking a 30 day vacation and having to catch up when you come back? Oh man, that would suck.
posted by the_0ne at 11:12 AM on August 3, 2001

Gee, maybe he needs the time to get ready for Burning Man or something.

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 11:13 AM on August 3, 2001

dogmatic said it for me.
posted by ira at 11:18 AM on August 3, 2001

Al Gore, the real and next President looks good in a beard on vacation in Spain.
posted by ParisParamus at 11:24 AM on August 3, 2001

I told my boss that I wanted to take off for a month and they threatened to fire me.
posted by panopticon at 11:53 AM on August 3, 2001

But I'm sure if your boss wanted to do it, he'd be able to. Long vacations are a privilege only enjoyed by bosses, teachers, and Western Europeans
posted by cell divide at 11:56 AM on August 3, 2001

C'mon people, let's try a little harder to find something of substance to use on Dubya.

Why stick to substance, when so much of politics is about perception? Even sympathetic outlets like the Drudge Report are describing this as a "month-long Texas getaway," and it reinforces the perception of Bush as someone who shirks work.
posted by rcade at 12:03 PM on August 3, 2001

Now THIS is classic. Being so partisan that you WANT someone to "fuck up the country" just so you can be sure someone you agree with is elected next. Now THAT's patriotism! Wishing ill for the people of your country so that your team can win next time.

not exactly, maybe i put it wrong the first time, glenwood. it is not so much letting someone fuck it up so that someone else that "i agree with" gets elected, it is more just that bush is such a goddamned baffoon, that such an extreme case of a bad president may be enough to make people care again. i know what i said came off a little wierd, but that is not totally what i mean. what i meant was that him being so bad may "inspire" possibly people to get out and vote, realize the err of bush's ways, etc., not necesarrily fuck up the nation for the sake of another party.

just wanted to clarify that. it just coincided with an idea that i had read, forgot where. besides, bush is a lame duck already. i really doubt, as many others do, that the person who won the election (stole, whatever) would be able to get reelected. i doubt bush will.
posted by adampsyche at 12:53 PM on August 3, 2001

adampsyche, the quote "worse is better" you mentioned in an earlier post appears on page 130 of Mao II by Don DeLillo.

"A few years ago a neo-nazi group devised the slogan 'The worse the better.' This is also the slogan of the Western Media."

I don't know if this is the first origin or if the reference is truth or fiction.

For some reason I've had this book out again three times this week.
posted by joemaller at 1:19 PM on August 3, 2001

"Worse is better." Google sez it's a software design philosophy...
posted by whatnotever at 2:17 PM on August 3, 2001

cell divide: Long vacations are a privilege only enjoyed by bosses, teachers, and Western Europeans. Then I suppose the logical thing to do would be for you (a) become a boss, (b) become a teacher, or (c) move to Western Europe. Don't dream it - BE it!

ParisParamus: Al Gore, the real and next President... Oh my dear lord...must we resurrect the whole "real" and "legitimate" and "chosen by SCOTUS" stuff again? First of all, he is NOT the real president, and second of all, the Dems are not for a single second going to trot him out in 2004...jeez, considering the vehemence and apparent volume of people against Bush, it amazes me that Gore wasn't able to pull enough votes to make it a decisive victory (popularly or electorally). If Bush is really the evil idiot so many MeFites desperately want to believe, then how could someone as *electable* as Gore fail to trounce him?

Mind you, I voted for neither of them. I wasted my vote on Brown.
posted by davidmsc at 3:21 PM on August 3, 2001

I would say there's about a 95% probability that Gore would be the candidate if he decided to run (in the primary). And I think there's about a 70% chance he will want to run. At the very least, I fail to see how you can conclude Gore, who got 500,000 more votes than Bush, will not be running for a"single second."

Jerry Brown ran for President? If you voted in California, or one of the other obvious Gore states, cool enough. If you live in FL....
posted by ParisParamus at 3:31 PM on August 3, 2001

Think he means this Browne, of the "simplify without looking at implications party"
posted by owillis at 3:47 PM on August 3, 2001

i can't remember for the life of me where i read it, but it was stated that a lot of dems are pissed at gore because he was not able to soundly beat an obviously inferior candidate. again, sorry i don't have any links, but there was a salon article as well about the schism with him and clinton. al wanted to ride the coattails of a good presidency while distancing himself from the scandals. clinton was mad at gore for not being able to beat king george II in the race when he had a clear advantage of being in the incumbent administration, and having the advantages therein (air force 2, etc.)

anyway, sorry i don't have links. i know the above sounds more like a tabloid, but it is what i came across at the time. wasn't a member of mefi then! i somehow doubt that gore will reemerge, though it is certain that he could be the candidate for sentimental reasons, if nothing else. i can't stand bush, but something about gore made me cringe as well. i can't seem to grasp the "let's pick the lesser of two dolts" philosophy. i think they are both about the same on most of the issues, but george is on the outside what al is on the inside.

hey, it's my take.

well, dubya, take yer damned vacation.
posted by adampsyche at 4:33 PM on August 3, 2001

Al Gore, the real and next President looks good in a beard on vacation in Spain.

Sorry, Gore couldn't beat his way into a bridge club (as evidenced by the last election, no?

Secondly, Gore's "realness" is up for debate.

You know, Presidents, Democrat or Republican, are being scrutinized closer and closer. The media is making them all into caricatures. It happened with Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush. It's only going to get worse.

Why help the media along by buying into it? You know how many "idiot" presidents we had before TV??
posted by fooljay at 11:59 PM on August 3, 2001

Some of the comments above seem to say that the MeFi Peanut Gallery is cat-calling about this vacation unfairly. Citing Reagan as precedent (no pun intended) doesn't convince me that all presidents take vacations like Bush has. It's all about the numbers, right? This is one we should be able to resolve by counting up who took time off for how long. Quoting from a Reuters article on Bush's break:

The 30-day trip, billed by the White House as a ``working vacation,'' is believed to be the longest presidential absence from the White House since Richard Nixon's presidency in the early 1970s.

Later, Bush's press secretary, Ari Fleischer, is quoted saying:

It is true that the president will joyfully spend more time away from Washington, D.C., than any previous president in quite a little while [...]

So, I don't agree with dogmatic and others that "All Presidents take long vacations" -- nor that we should only "[b]ash Bush policy, not his vacation." With Bush barely in office and his VP with serious health troubles, I think it is completely fair and legitimate for us to wonder who is and will be leading the country.

(I also love Fleischer's slip in the AP article:

``It's going to be a working vacation in the classic definition of the word,'' presidential press secretary Ari Fleischer said Friday.

Which word is that, Ari? Bushisms must be contagious.)
posted by precipice at 1:16 PM on August 4, 2001