Obama Heads to Martha’s Vineyard for 10 Day Vacation – Best Selling T-shirt on the Vineyard – George Bush?!

George Bush T-Shirts Big on the Vinayard - photo Zazzles.com

Welcome to Massachusetts – Although the press has been somewhat generous regarding President Obama’s vacations, including a recent article from NPR asking “Why do we Care About Presidential Holidays” which borrows from the Slate blog’s “The First Families Forced Vacations (No kidding, that’s the Title) by Anne Applebaum.

Applebaum, in defense of the President and First families trips “from Maine to Spain” (NPR), ends the article with a statement and question: “This is what mid-August is for. Why do we need to think about them when we’re on vacation too?”

Asked and answered with a sharp retort by a commenter at NRP who quips: “the taxpayers are paying for it. No one needs 2-3 vacations a month….”

While the AP’s latest poll (video below) notes that 61 percent of respondents feel the economy has gotten worse or stayed the same “under Obama’s watch” – and one 10 day vacation for many United States residents is but a dream due to the economy asking why “we care” should be fairly self-evident.

It is not so much that individually, anyone begrudges a President a break, (with perhaps the press and George Bush), after all, that’s one job noted for adding twenty years to every President’s appearance. (See Rush Limbaugh’s comments on Presidential aging here in an attempt to Lampoon then Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton – taking what one would consider “the low road”, specifically as it applied to women and the job at hand.) (Note: Hillary faced more “feminine centered” negative comments from the press than even perhaps, Geraldine Ferraro, blowing the theory out the window that “we’ve come a long way”. )

Therefore, the guy does deserve a break, but 2 to 3 per month as suggested by the commenter at NRP? That might be a tad excessive considering the aforementioned poll. Even in Massachusetts, on the Vineyard of all places, residents and those able to take a trip to the Island (Keep in mind - 9 of the 10 Mass. Congressional Districts have viable alternatives to the Democrat incumbents, all of whom are up for reelection in November.) have a favorite new tee shirt according to Channel 5 Boston: one that depicts George Bush.

One has to ask how bad can it be when George Bush is being worn with respect (or longing perhaps) in Massachusetts?! One can almost bet there will be no visits off the “Island” in order to stump for any of those Congressional Democrats who are busy trying to cover tracks in their districts. Even Barney Frank faces opposition from within his own Party, while two Republicans are vying for the opportunity to retire “Barney”, and rumors of his eminent resignation have been flying around the district.

The last thing Barney needs is a visit from Obama (unlikely in any event) – however, perhaps the President would enjoy a side trip to the Pioneer Valley (which is really a beautiful place to live and vacation) to give former President Bill Clinton a break from stumping for troubled Democrats, to lend a hand with Charles Rangles’ handpicked successor, media shy (outside his own district) Richard Neal. That would endear the President to many residents in this conservative leaning section of the state, although admittedly for reasons not in Obama’s, or more to the point, Neal’s best interest.

Yes, we can care about numerous vacations, especially in a time where the economy is at issue, regardless of election year politics, perhaps Obama could have skipped the Vineyard, and maybe taken a vacation at his home in Chicago – backyard style – like the rest of us.