Former President Barack Obama (2nd L), his wife Michelle (3rd L) along with his daughters Sasha (C) and Malia (2nd R) go rafting while on holiday in Bongkasa Village, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia June 26, 2017 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. (Antara Foto/Wira Suryantala/ via REUTERS)
The Democratic base is growing increasingly frustrated with former President Barack Obama’s actions after leaving office, including a seemingly endless tour of millionaire and billionaire luxury retreats, according to Democrats and activists contacted by Fox News.
Ex-presidents, understandably and un-controversially, go on vacations immediately after leaving office. But the level of luxury the Obamas enjoy on their vacations is unprecedented for a modern-day president, say travel experts.
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Former President Barack Obama waves during a visit to Tirta Empul Temple while on holiday with his family in Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia June 27, 2017 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. ( Antara Foto/Wira Suryantala/ via REUTERS)
Since leaving office in late January, Obama has visited late actor Marlon Brando’s private island; the Four Seasons in Bali — where rooms cost upward of $2,000 per night; a Palm Springs estate; Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island; the exclusive Mid Pacific Country Club in Oahu; the 13th-century Borgo Finocchieto in Tuscany; and the Rising Sun, Hollywood studio mogul David Geffen’s private yacht.
“These are some of the most luxurious travel destinations in the world. Many of our clients spend tens of thousands of dollars or more to stay at these resorts, which cater to the most discriminating and demanding guests,” said Kendra Thornton, travel expert and owner of luxury travel agency Royal Travel. “For example, Necker Island has a nightly price tag of $80,000. Anyone who stays at these properties does so because they want the best of the best.”
Fox News contacted the Borgo Finocchieto hotel. It’s actually not really a hotel, at least of the kind ordinary travelers come to expect. It’s a restored medieval hamlet with five villas and 22 bedrooms that can only be rented for a three-day minimum, in its entirety. Obama touched down at a nearby airport in a private jet escorted by six Eurofighter jets from the Italian Air Force. Presumably, the former president scored a deal on the stay since the Borgo Finocchieto is owned by one of his appointees, the former Italy Ambassador John Phillips.
“These trips are like the lifestyles of the rich and famous.”
“These trips are like the lifestyles of the rich and famous,” said Democratic strategist Pat Caddell. The former adviser to ex-President Jimmy Carter believes that President Obama’s vacations are unprecedented, and a far cry from how Carter spent his first few months out of office.
“I think the Bernie Sanders wing of the party, when they see President Obama, whom they instinctively want to defend being the corporatist president, I think it makes the base uneasy,” said Caddell.
Left-wing activists told Fox News they are troubled by what they see as a trend by Obama to distance himself from the base of the party. It’s not just vacations. The president also has enjoyed hefty fees for speeches to prominent Wall Street firms. It’s all part of a trend, they say, of Obama trying to join the fabled 1 percent.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRkOCnylhLY/
“Obama is not as wealthy or as conservative as Trump, George W. Bush, or George H.W. Bush, but he enjoys what used to be called ‘the lifestyle of the rich and famous,’” said Dr. David Michael Smith of the Houston Socialist Movement. “I am not surprised by Obama’s several recent foreign vacations. As president, he disappointed millions of supporters who hoped he would be a strong advocate for working-class people.”
The left-wing media is also worried about Obama’s luxury vacations.
“I’ll tell you who should kick back a little less,” said HBO host John Oliver in an interview with Seth Meyers on Late Night Monday. “This might be controversial – I’m a little sick of seeing photos of President Obama on vacation with Richard Branson. Just tone it down with the kite-surfing pictures. I’m glad he’s having a nice time – America is on fire.”
Oliver then pointed out that President Obama was accused of being out of touch with the American people during his presidency.
“I’m not sure he’s ever been more out of touch than he is right now,” Oliver said.
Those comments were made in February. So Oliver’s advice apparently didn’t slow down the Obama vacation schedule. He’s in Bali this week.
The president’s press team didn’t want to go on the record since Obama is a private citizen and it doesn’t comment on his personal schedule or private outings with his family.
But a former Obama White House official did tell Fox News that the president dedicated his entire career to working to “level the playing field and provide ladders of opportunity for those hardest hit by the economy.”
One of the first actions after leaving office was to mentor young men from Chicago’s south side who are in a job training program called “CRED,” led by former Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The president also donated $2 million recently to help young people in Chicago get apprenticeships and summer jobs. The president is an avid supporter of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative that aims to improve life outcomes for young men of color.
The Obama team also told Fox News that the president most recently released a Facebook post about the current debate in Washington around the future of health care.
“The Senate bill, unveiled today, is not a health care bill,” Obama wrote. “It’s a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America.”
Caddell, the Democratic strategist for former President Carter, said that’s not enough.
“I think every time Obama opens his mouth, the fair question is: Which billionaire’s paradise island did he do it from? When is he going to do anything to help people other than enrich himself?” Caddell said. “How can he possibly be doing things? How do you do things from Marlon Brando’s island? It’s in stark contrast to Carter.”
And to former President George W. Bush. Asked how the 43rd president spent his first year after office, a person close to President Bush told Fox News: “He spent the first month in Crawford, Texas, where he started writing ‘Decision Points.’”
Then, once their house in Dallas was ready, the Bushes settled there and started fundraising for the Bush Center and setting up policy programs of the Bush Institute. President Bush went on some speaking engagements handled by the Washington Speakers Bureau. And he and Laura vacationed with their family in Kennebunkport, Maine, and at the ranch in Crawford.
“Obama has a right to do whatever he wants,” Caddell said. “But these trips really are a little bit rich.”
The Lefties just can’t come to grips with the fact that there is nothing worthwhile that this malignant narcissist is capable of doing. At least Jimmy Carter can swing a hammer and Dubya Shrub can clear brush on his Crawford “ranch”.
Typical nigger – nigger rich.
If he’s paying for the trips and accommodation with his own funds it’s his business. May not be prudent for him to do so since he does not have a vast fortune and what his earning power will be a few years from now is unknown. Public school libraries will not be required to buy future books which has been the source of his current wealth. I am also wondering about the tax liability for these vacations if he is not paying for them out of pocket.
If you ‘won’ a trip on Geffen’s yacht to cruise the South Pacific most people could not afford to take it because the IRS would determine the cash value and tax you for it. You can only make a ‘gift’ to someone of about $12,000 per year as I recall before that becomes taxable income to the recipient.
Well that’s the interesting question…who is paying for these trips and why. Certainly Obama could not afford to visit such places with whatever savings and investments he made as a community organizer, State/US Senator, US President and his pension. So either he took a buttload of money under the table when he was in office or some very rich people think buying his black ass can still generate huge returns for them.
I’m sure the public is paying for at least his security on them, which is probably a sizeable amount.
Exactly–half is probably monies from corrupt deals and the other half is calling in his chips for al of the special favors and policies that widened our wealth disparities to unimaginable levels.
A $200k salary as president doesn’t allow for $80k per night hotel rooms ( and he hasn’t even started his million dollar per hour speaking tour yet to the universities and bank CEO’s)
Don’t forget he made a pile of money on books that someone wrote and put his name on, plus he and the Mrs. both scored big book advances post white house for books they will write in the future sometime. He is a clown, that is for sure.
Last time I saw that many negros on the water together was when I watched Amistad.
Give Obama a break. He’s a liberal, not some greedy conservative who only cares about himself and wants the poor to die. He’s living this life style in solidarity with the poor, so they can live vicariously through him. He just gives, and gives, and gives.
Things get hot over here(Loretta Lynch) and our first negro unasses the US. Trump should deny the return to USofA for the whole fuckin’ bunch of ’em.
I hope he takes a trip to an active volcano.
This is what happens when a black family is removed from government housing
The Progtard phuques now know what I knew all along. Obama is a phony. All show and no go.
Dutch, it’s great to be nigga rich.
Not only was he an annoying President, he is THE most annoying ex-President. With these vacations and constant pictures we are subjected to in the press, it is almost like he enjoys rubbing struggling American plebe faces in the dirt. And let’s face it, he made sure during his terms that we are all struggling American plebes. He laughs while jetting around, luxuriating at exotic beaches, etc while we all can barely pay sky rocketing housing costs, healthcare, and basic life necessities thanks to him and his policies. Then he has the nerve to pop up frequently and comment on Trump and current policy. He makes me sick. GO AWAY like all the other exes and stay gone!
Slightly off topic but Obama related-from The New American-
It’s doubtful they’ll ever get Obama but Holder might be in some trouble-
“Congress Rips Obama On Cover Up Of Fast & Furious”
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/26360-congress-rips-obama-on-cover-up-of-fast-and-furious-gun-running
‘Amazing Progress’ Illinois Style: Welcome To The Obama Expressway!
by Tyler Durden
Jun 29, 2017 9:00 AM
Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,
Yesterday, in response to alleged “progress” on Obamacare I penned Mish’s Rule of Progress.
Today, I am pleased to announce even more amazing budget progress in the state of Illinois.
First, let’s recap progress at the national level.
On Tuesday, President Trump called all the Republican Senators to a meeting to resolve the Obamacare bill in the Senate.
Ahead of the meeting, four Republican Senators were against the bill. At most, 2 Senators can vote against the bill or it will fail.
After the roughly hour-long huddle in the East Room, Senator Mitch McConnell told reporters “We made good progress.”
Following the meeting, seven Republican Senators were against the bill.
As amazing as that progress sounds, Illinois can beat it by a mile.
Progress Illinois Style
Illinois has been without a budget for two years and its bonds, already the lowest in the nation, face a downgrade to junk.
On June 15, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner called a special 10-Day legislative session to finalize a budget.
We are now in the eighth day of the special session.
The Special Sessions Cost Illinois Taxpayers $50,000 a Day.
The special sessions have lasted from 10 to 23 minutes at the longest.
Progress was announced yesterday: My sources tell me that by an 84-0 vote, part of I-55 will be renamed the Obama Expressway.
Anybody else notice in the rafting photo that none of the Obamas are doing any of the work of paddling? Is that an apt metaphor or what?