Michelle Obama Compared to Marie Antoinette

by Jocelyn Rousey | 4:36 pm, August 5th, 2010

» 20 comments

images NY Daily News writer and Fox News contributor Andrea Tantaros went after First Lady Michelle Obama today for running up hefty expenses on a mother-daughter vacation to Spain. Between the flight aboard Air Force Two and expensive hotel rooms on the Spanish coast, Michelle Obama’s spending spree would do Marie Antoinette proud, says Tantaros.

It’s not that Tantaros is against the First Lady getting some R&R. Rather, Tantaros claims Mrs. Obama’s lavish spending in dire economic times is a signal of how out of touch the Obamas are with the plight of average Americans. Moreover, Tantaros suggests that vacation dough might be a better economic stimulus for the U.S. if spent on a domestic vacation instead of pumping it into a foreign country’s economy. And of course, the Obamas never travel alone; they’re always accompanied by an entourage of staff and secret service who have to be housed as well.

I don’t begrudge anyone rest and relaxation when they work hard. We all need downtime – the First Family included. It’s the extravagance of Michelle Obama’s trip and glitzy destination contrasted with President Obama’s demonization of the rich that smacks of hypocrisy and perpetuates a disconnect between the country and its leaders. Toning down the flash would humanize the Obamas and signify that they sympathize with the setbacks of the people they were elected to serve.

But before we start accusing “material girl” Michelle Obama of dismissing cake-eating “commoners,” Brian Montopolli at CBS News brings up a few valid counterpoints. Noting that Mrs. Obama will be traveling with minimal staff, Montopolli points to White House policy with regard to personal vs. state trips abroad.

The White House says that as a policy, official trips by the first family are paid by the government but all personal elements paid are personally. Since this is a private trip, the White House seems to be suggesting that the Obamas are personally paying all costs associated with the vacation.

Granted, Montopolli admits there’s some “wiggle room” for Secret Service, whose fees probably go up when traveling abroad. That said, there’s no way to estimate what the going rates are for the elite body guards since the Secret Service doesn’t give out that information for safety reasons. Also, it’s not like the Secret Service wouldn’t be guarding the First Lady regardless of where she spent her vacation, so that particular fee would be paid with tax payer money no matter what.

Still, it remains the American pass time to decry any politician’s spending, particularly when it involves some fun and sunshine on the Spanish coast.

Andreas Tantaros, Marie Antoinette, Michelle Obama

adel

The radical elements of the splintered right continue to build their revolutionary rhetoric… Feasting on fabricated outrage because it makes them fat…
http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

Minimal staff ? She’s got 22 highly paid assistants . What’s minimal to her ? The subjects ? No jobs ? ” Let them eat ice cream “.
adel

Apostrophe jones said:
Minimal staff ? She’s got 22 highly paid assistants . What’s minimal to her ? The subjects ? No jobs ? ” Let them eat ice cream “.

Yes yes….harrumph harrumph… The queen does not care… Harrumph…. Ahhhhhhhh…what? Our sweet librarian mother had matched such a cadre… Ah but such things are gone… The plank to the past is lost… Only forward friends… Only forward!
http://politicsofdestruction.com/ Bobomatic

Why doesn’t she leave these kind of trips for 2012 when her and the soon to be former president will have more than enough time to travel on their own dime?
vindex2010

I’m waiting for the “Well Laura Bush had an entourage too” defense. Every criticism of Obama is always met with “Well Bush was worse.” Big spender? Bush was worse. High unemployment? Bush was worse. Too many vacations? Bush was worse. We get it. Bush was a horrible big spending, warmongering president who talked like a conservative, but acted like a budget busting Progressive. That’s why the Republicans are out of power. I just don’t think Obama won because people felt the federal government wasn’t growing fast enough. Thus our national shell game continues as any money that the government puts in the economy’s right pocket must be borrowed, which means the money comes out of the economy’s left pocket.
NORBIT

These people think they are the American ROYALS!

They’ve been pampered all their lives by Left-Wing, RACE-OBSESSED, guilt-ridden, ELITISTS!

…and if you criticize her OUT COMES THE PHONY RACE-CARD!!!!!
lilo

So many vacations this year, and more to come following this one!
More Liberty

adel said:
The radical elements of the splintered right continue to build their revolutionary rhetoric… Feasting on fabricated outrage because it makes them fat…

In a time when millions of Americans are out of work, the economy is in s slump, she decides to take a trip to Spain. The tax payers are footing a large percentage of the bill – are we not allowed to question this extravagance?
quetepasas

Guess what people? This is a woman who had money BEFORE she became First Lady. Also, she’s VERY smart and knows that people like you will of course have something to say about her 24 hours a day!

I don’t think it irkes people to see Michelle Obama on vacation, I think it pisses people off to see how stylish, extremely fit and beautiful she looks while at it!!!! That’s what has people talking! This woman is a wife, mother, career woman, black, in phenomenal shape and she’s naturally beautiful, which for some reason, boring ass people can’t seem to get over. Well, again, guess what?! Get over it!

As an ACE certified personal trainer, I recommend to America, its boring ass journalist and reporters and people who basically don’t move off their couches, to take a peak into a gym, or better yet, UTILIZE the park they swear their tax money paid for, and do a few pushups or pullups on the monkey bars. This is exactly what Michelle Obama does to have those amazing shoulders and arms. I will bet any amount of money or cookie dough that this is what has people annoyed and talking, as they worry more about getting their hair done or acrylic nails filled in, than caring about their actual body, crusty heels, yellow teeth or nicotaine stained fingers.

Think about what I just said people because it’s the damn truth!
Lovewhatuhave84

Oh please.,
Everyone needds to get a danm life. Jealous over the First Lady.
She got where she is today because she is educated..WHO CARES what she spends the money on…Give it up people. Get your heads outta your ass and go get a 2nd or 3rd job if you want to go on vacation.
I mean, I go on vacations with my husband and 1 yr old daughter, gonna write a story about me and how I need to conserve money b/c the poor ass people can’t help themselves out? SERIOUSLY. YA’ll are pissed b/c she ios GREAT looking, HAS a GREAT life..I love Michelle..she is a great role model.
So drop the jealousy, and the way she dressed..no tits were showing, maybe if you dressed like her, you’d feel better about yourself instead of your cheap ass clothing?
Go knock on someone who has money but pisses it away on drugs and booze, HEY MAYbe George Bush is pissing his away on BOOZE:)
Lovewhatuhave84

OH and HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK STATES AND COUNTIRES MAKE MONEY..B/C PEOPLE GO AND VISIT.!! DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF MONEY WASN’T SPENT, THE WORLD WOULD FALL THE HELL APART.
THE ECONOMY ISN’T AS BAD AAS PEOPLE MAKE IT..GOOGLE REAL HARD AND YOU WILL SEE..ITS THE DUMB PEOPLE WASTING MONEY ON MILLION DOLLAR HOMES, HALF MILLION DOLLAR CARS. 20GRAND SHOES,CLOTH,JEWELRY..AND THEY DONT HAVE IT BUT THEY CHARGE IT AND GET STUCK..SO ITS UR OWN FAULT IF YOUR BROKE. NOT HERS!
Lovewhatuhave84

and to add one last thing, wht the hell is Sorry ass Andrea Tantaros digging into what She spent..seriously..are you that much of a flake that you go and dig in others personal life..go screw urself, I would hate to be the man next to you..id be afraid you go thru my wallet and bank accounts and all just to report that, Oh i am with a man who spends 5 on coffee and oh my..wait..he spent this much on a car..nope..I’m a broke ass contributor and I gotta make others look bad bc of it…get a clue..get a better job or 2nd on if you cant afford your Lavish Vacation, I’m going on one..a VERY nice one with my family..wanna come back at me and tell me what scum we are bc we work hard and play hard too?
Ur a sorry excuse.
Lovewhatuhave84

quetepasas said:
Guess what people? This is a woman who had money BEFORE she became First Lady. Also, she’s VERY smart and knows that people like you will of course have something to say about her 24 hours a day!

I don’t think it irkes people to see Michelle Obama on vacation, I think it pisses people off to see how stylish, extremely fit and beautiful she looks while at it!!!! That’s what has people talking! This woman is a wife, mother, career woman, black, in phenomenal shape and she’s naturally beautiful, which for some reason, boring ass people can’t seem to get over. Well, again, guess what?! Get over it!

As an ACE certified personal trainer, I recommend to America, its boring ass journalist and reporters and people who basically don’t move off their couches, to take a peak into a gym, or better yet, UTILIZE the park they swear their tax money paid for, and do a few pushups or pullups on the monkey bars. This is exactly what Michelle Obama does to have those amazing shoulders and arms. I will bet any amount of money or cookie dough that this is what has people annoyed and talking, as they worry more about getting their hair done or acrylic nails filled in, than caring about their actual body, crusty heels, yellow teeth or nicotaine stained fingers.

Think about what I just said people because it’s the damn truth!

yes.it is a the danm truth..the ysee someone who has money and has fun..and they bash them..its called money jealousy
betty

Stop the propaganda, there are no people in America with money, that have scaled down their lifestyle because the rest of us are suffering. And that’s okay, I’m sure a lot of them are helping charitable causes. But the 1st lady and the President are actually working to clean up the mess that the previous administration handed to them. Former President Bush and his family are probably enjoying their life and taking vacations too. He’s the one that sold us the bill of goods, not unlike a Madoff. The propagandist who make comments like, “If you say anything about the 1st family, then the race card is played” – to that I say I’ve never heard any complaints about the vacations of any other 1st family, and the Bush family were on vacation all the time in the worst of times. Our 1st family had money going into the White house, their children are not going to suffer because their parents chose to serve their country that happens to have some ignorant, ungrateful people living here. Wake up America the destruction of this country is going to come from the hatred that exists, search your hearts, those of you that are sublimely perpetuating race division, Stop it! This President has a heart for the people and the intelligence, education, and the fortitude to help this over time; there are no quick fixes. Oh course no one can eliminate ignorance in our country, but can we at least make the ignorant a minority and move forward. The private citizen Obamas were not responsible for your current financial status, but the public service Obamas are trying to get you out of it. Stop following fox news and their pundits they don’t care about the average and poor Americans, they have an agenda; and it’s not helping you. Putting it simply, if you ran up your debt over 8 years with reckless abandon, borrowed from everyone, and didn’t listen to anyone, you’re spent 150% more than you made; if your friend took control of your problems and finances, would you expect them to solve the problem in a year or two or four and would you be complaining about them from day one.
TCinAZ

adel said:
The radical elements of the splintered right continue to build their revolutionary rhetoric… Feasting on fabricated outrage because it makes them fat…

Or to Translate that Dyson-esque, High-Falootin “rhetoric”. IT’S RACISM!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rita-Bryant/100000647370365 Rita Bryant

What is wrong with you people…..Hello, she is the First Lady of The United States, Duh, she can go anywhere she wants to go, have as many bodyguards as she wants, spend as much money as she wants it’s hers. You know you guys have got it bad, anything this President or his Wife does you jerks, and fox news always have something to complain about. I ask this question over and over with no real answer giving by no one. Where is the outrage when other President’s wives had bodyguards, went on vacation, stayed in a expensive hotel, just like where was the outrage when George Bush ran the country in the ground,how come no one was out there yelling keep the government out of our business. You guys are a bunch of hypocrites. One President can do anything they want to do even lie, but let this President do anything, say something you don’t like, look a different way than other Presidents, let his wife wear sleeveless arms, go to an expensive place to vacation and you dumb hypocrites want to cry foul and complain. I think all of you guys need to chill the hell out. Frankly I think you guys and fox news are jealous cause you can’t be President Obama. Stop disrespecting the President of the United States and his First Lady Michelle Obama that only makes this country look weak and dumb, and it makes you look ignorant, petty, childish, jealous, stupid, basically you look like assholes complaining about the President and his wife. Grown the hell up[.
Carolyn McEvoy

@NORBIT

Please stop shouting dear especially as you have nothing to say. Michelle Obama is your First Lady, and the expenses she incurred on this trip are substantially less than previous First Ladies on trips of roughly the same period.

If this is your argument against the Obama adminstration, then we really do have nothing to fear. At last, we have a President with integrity and family values. And what does he get for his dedication?

Bitter, baseless carping from armchair problem-solvers.

Pathetic.
snidelywhiplash

Apostrophe jones said:
Minimal staff ? She’s got 22 highly paid assistants . What’s minimal to her ? The subjects ? No jobs ? ” Let them eat ice cream “.

Psst…several other first ladies had staffs about the same size or larger. Get over it.
genera

Snidelywhiplash says:

” Apostrophe jones said:
Minimal staff ? She’s got 22 highly paid assistants . What’s minimal to her ? The subjects ? No jobs ? ” Let them eat ice cream “.

Psst…several other first ladies had staffs about the same size or larger. Get over it.

This is the largest staff by far. Laura Bush had 16.
genera

Lovewhatuhave84 – I hope your logic works for the 14.6 million who are out of work. Its not the rich that are complaining about Ms Obama. Its the people who want to work and can’t because the environment for business growth is toxic.

Try to visualize the many poor (majority are blacks), teenagers and senior citizens who cannot work because of the economy.

The perception of insensitivity to their situation is what is at debate here. Not unlike the Muslims building a mosque near the 9/11 hallowed ground. They should know better, being who they are.

Actions speak louder than words, Their actions show a lack of empathy. That is at the basis of these critisisms.