Sasha and Malia Obama's recent spring break vacation to the Bahamas during the federal budget belt-tightening of sequestration.
Steve King Blasts Obama Daughters For Going On Spring Break
The Huffington Post | By Preston Maddock Posted: 03/28/2013 1:24 pm EDT | Updated: 03/29/2013 11:19 am EDT
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on a local Iowa radio show on Wednesday was critical of the First Daughters spring break trip to the Bahamas. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) offered image advice for the first family on a local Iowa radio show Wednesday, criticizing first daughters Sasha and Malia Obama's recent spring break vacation to the Bahamas during the federal budget belt-tightening of sequestration. "You’re on point and on the mark all the way through," King told a caller named Carla after she said she found the Obama girls' vacation "really hard to stomach" and "not acceptable." Accusations about the Obamas' lavish lifestyle have become common from certain members of the GOP. During her recent address at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) riled the crowd with allegations that American taxpayers were footing the bill for such luxuries as a dog walker for the first family's dog, Bo. The charge was later revealed to be unfounded and led to an awkward encounter for Bachmann with a CNN reporter. Still, Bachmann's commentary on the privileges of the White House underscores an attempt by conservatives, echoed by King on Wednesday, to work the debate on federal spending cuts to their political advantage. "He needs to show some austerity himself," King said of Obama. He went on to remind listeners that the president "sent the daughters to spring break in Mexico a year ago. That was at our expense, too." "That is the wrong image to be coming out of the White House," King added. Presidents have traditionally paid for the personal expenses of family vacations, while taxpayers fund security and staffing. In a column published Wednesday in Salon, Joan Walsh chided what she called the myopic Republican assault, saying the GOP is "[freaking] out over things that are either exactly the same or directly comparable to what every American president and his family have done."
This week, Breitbart News broke a long-standing security protocol and published a story detailing the precise location where President Obama’s daughters are vacationing this week. On Wednesday, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) used the report to attack the First Daughters for taking a vacation. King’s comments came during an appearance on Mickelson in the Morning, an Iowa-based radio show. A caller, Carla, brought up sequestration and proceeded to criticize the Michelle Obama and her daughters for taking a vacation in the Bahamas. King agreed — “Carla, you’re on point and on the mark all the way through” — before criticizing them for also taking a vacation last year in Mexico. “That was at our expense, too,” King bemoaned.
CALLER: When I see the First Lady and the beautiful girls going off to the Bahamas waving goodbye to us, it’s really hard to stomach. 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. KING: Carla, you’re on point and on the mark all the way through. […] You’re right on the president. He needs to show some austerity himself. Instead he wanted to tell America how bad it was going to be. […] We’ve got the president doing these things. 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.
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Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) offered image advice for the first family on a local Iowa radio show Wednesday, criticizing first daughters Sasha and Malia Obama's recent spring break vacation to the Bahamas during the federal budget belt-tightening of sequestration.
"You’re on point and on the mark all the way through," King told a caller named Carla after she said she found the Obama girls' vacation "really hard to stomach" and "not acceptable."
Accusations about the Obamas' lavish lifestyle have become common from certain members of the GOP. During her recent address at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) riled the crowd with allegations that American taxpayers were footing the bill for such luxuries as a dog walker for the first family's dog, Bo. The charge was later revealed to be unfounded and led to an awkward encounter for Bachmann with a CNN reporter.
Still, Bachmann's commentary on the privileges of the White House underscores an attempt by conservatives, echoed by King on Wednesday, to work the debate on federal spending cuts to their political advantage.
"He needs to show some austerity himself," King said of Obama. He went on to remind listeners that the president "sent the daughters to spring break in Mexico a year ago. That was at our expense, too."
"That is the wrong image to be coming out of the White House," King added.
Presidents have traditionally paid for the personal expenses of family vacations, while taxpayers fund security and staffing. In a column published Wednesday in Salon, Joan Walsh chided what she called the myopic Republican assault, saying the GOP is "[freaking] out over things that are either exactly the same or directly comparable to what every American president and his family have done."
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) Attacks Sasha And Malia Obama
Think Progress
This week, Breitbart News broke a long-standing security protocol and published a story detailing the precise location where President Obama’s daughters are vacationing this week. On Wednesday, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) used the report to attack the First Daughters for taking a vacation.King’s comments came during an appearance on Mickelson in the Morning, an Iowa-based radio show. A caller, Carla, brought up sequestration and proceeded to criticize the Michelle Obama and her daughters for taking a vacation in the Bahamas. King agreed — “Carla, you’re on point and on the mark all the way through” — before criticizing them for also taking a vacation last year in Mexico. “That was at our expense, too,” King bemoaned.