Double standard?: How much did the Obama's NYC date night cost U.S. taxpayers? ($BAC, $C,$GS,$JPM)

If the headline read that a TARP funded bank CEO hopped on the corporate Gulfstream for a date night jaunt with his wife, at company --- er, taxpayer --  expense, the press (and Congress) would be going hog wild.  So what if the CEO of the USA does the same thing?  According to the NY Post, the Obama's hopped on a Gulfstream and spent an intimate date night in NYC, at an estimated cost of over $70k compliments of the American taxpayers.  It's lovely that the president is fullfilling one of his campaign promises to Michelle, and he did economize by using a Gulfstream and not the way more expensive Air Force One, but they couldn't have planned a similar outing at a time when the President was scheduled to be in NYC on official business?  The CEO of the U.S. in't exactly setting a great example.  Per NY Post:

Taxpayers footed the bill for the big night on the town, which included orchestra seat tickets at $96.50 apiece, and at least $24,000 for each of three aircraft -- including two smaller aircraft for White House staff and reporters -- used for the trip, sources said.

Obama's jet, a Gulfstream 500, served as a more modest Air Force One for the day in place of the customary presidential Boeing 747.

The White House declined to say how much the trip was costing taxpayers.

Obama Keeps His Big Apple Pledge - NY Post

Comments

[LEH]

I don't see any double standard. I expect our President to take a few vacations at my expense. I don't expect him to be working every minute of every day. He needs the occasional break to stay in top form and I will gladly pay for a jaunt to NYC.

Now, on the other hand, I don't expect to be paying for the CEOs of companies which failed to do a very simple thing - sell a product for more money than it took to build it - and then came and begged for a handout while they continued to make millions of dollars a year.

It's all about expectations. I expect to pay my president. I don't expect to pay golden parachutes for the people who legitimately failed in a market economy.

[Lou Bertone]

So why doesn't he spend some of the $400K salary he gets instead of the taxpayers footing the bill, nobody helps pay for my vacations!

[Simon]

Hey, it's only US paper money anyway, so $70,000 is chickenfeed. I'll bet Ben printed some up for him just for the night.

[VW]

What a joke LEH....you think it is reasonable for the taxpayer to pay $70,000 for 1 (ONE) single night out on the town with the first lady? Obama is clearly an elitist moron...says he stands for the little guy, you know the blue collar union employee working for his new auto company he just bought...but thinks it is alright to spend more than the average American earns in an entire year for one night out with his wife.

[DLC]

Excuse me, LEH, but if Mr. Obama wants a vacation, let him take it with his OWN money like the rest of us.

[Jim Root]

This is small potatoes compared to the amount spent for "W"'s vacations, who took more vacation time than any other president. This is the kind of small-minded issue that is the daily fodder of conservative media. Jim

[Jose]

Fine, stupid. Send me a check for my share because I don't pay for personal expenses. You obviously have more money than brains.

[David Dentry]

Hey L.E.H.,
Then send him your money. Not mine.
'Bama's job as CEO is providing government. His product (government) is costing more than it's bringing in. (Can you say deficit & National Debt). So by your own definition you should not be paying for a golden parachute or a silver plater.

[T]

"Yes, we can."

[J]

Absolute double standard. The Dali-bama himself soapboxed for "outrage" over bonus payments that were contractually obligated years ahead of time - yes I mean AIG! His Highness my Messiah OBAMA! is, in fact, the CEO of a failed corporation. He's presiding over the spending of twice as much money as his "company" is taking in. In the [sometimes quasi-] real world of business, that'd be a recipe for bankruptcy.

[Steve Kline]

Is this the "Change" you voted for?

I served 22 years for this country and according to this countries laws my exwife is entitled to half of my retainer pay plus $600. alimony for life.

I was the one in harms way! And now with the f@$%ked up economy I am behind on the alimony payments which I have paid for 20 long years and I am probably going to go to jail or loose my drivers license so I am told.

[Ike Adogu]

Nothing wrong with this modest way of taking a break from work,it's not like it's a weekly thing.Sure he has style.

[Edmund K]

I wonder if the G500 is equipped with all the sophisticated communications gear?

[Steven3201]

Like everyone else, he should be paying for his own holiday or hot night out. So it costs US taxpayers $70,000 for ONE night, yet people who work for a year are not allowed a small bit more as a bonus. The double standard is at play, yet it appears the USA Sheeple enjoy being fleeced.

[Robert Posik]

And how much wide ranging publicity will this get from the talking heads on the national news stations. I thought we were broke but apparently not. Wish I could have gone.

[RUN]

This is the type of stupidity that comes out of the press that is looking for some topic to criticize any operation. How about the cost of the white house? Or the cost of government? I guess the president should just stroll outside, jump in a car and drive there with no security? How much do you think the secret service costs? The $70K is nothing. Dont compare a presidential operation to that of an average individual's expenses. The President worked to get to his position. The job comes with risks and rewards. He deserves it.

[Bob B]

Just like another guy America loved, Bill Clinton, Obama did it because he can! Is this what he meant when he said (a thousand times) "Yes, we can"? Wonder what the press would have said if Bush had pulled something like this.

[Steve Palmer]

That's just BHO's way of saying "so what?" and "what, me worry?" to the 21,000 soon-to-be-out-of-work UAW members currently working at the soon-to-be-shuttered GM assembly plants. They did, after all, vote for change.

[Dave]

The President said we were in for change. He also said the other day we were as a nation out of money. Congress wants to fix all that with a 10% VAT tax on every man, woman, and child. I guess as a nation we are to assume the $70,000 for the night on the town is pocket change all of us are to be paying for. I now know what Obama ment by the word change!

[jim]

I don't remember reading articles criticizing Pres. Bush's many (about 1/3 of his time in office) vacations.

[Helen]

Bush paid for his vacations!!!!

[Edward Williams]

Joe Biden would have stayed home. He's afraid of contact with H1N1. As we all now by now our President does whatever he wants.

[Richard Brendl]

Oh how fast they throw stones. Would you like Bush and company back? That can be arranged. Really. Divide 280 million (citizens) by $70,000 and ask yourself if the 1/40th of 1 cent is worth working 24/7 a year and a half without a break and having every word and gesture scrutunized by a nation of whining morons. No...I didn't think so. Go back to your fantasy world of six-packs, football, Britney Spears and $75 an hour (unskilled) jobs at the car plant. Oh America...what has become of you?

[Mike]

I just have one thing to say to LEH, Ike, and Brendt, you must be some find of a friggin morons! It's simple minded people like you that put him in the White House in the first place. You want to pay for his little jaunts go right ahead..I don't! And don't forget what it cost, plus the consequences of his actions, when he did the fly-over above NYC with Air Force One! I guess that was more than one thing.
Mike...another right wing extremist (Vietnam Vet)

[Odingowei Kwokwo]

Americans should allow Mr President a little pleasure. I think he deserves a recreation like any other citizen to be creative and healthy to be able to serve Americans optimally

[George Stamm]

The president of the US, the most important man in the world and the man with the probably greatest responsability on his shoulders, may well be allowed to enjoy an evening with his wife on taxpayers costs. His salary, 400000 $, represents 1% of the revenue of incapable bank and insurance-CEOs.

[David]

First off Obama is a multi millionaire
he can afford his own dates and to a post Obama did absolutly nothing to become President except read a teleprompter he has no credabilty but lots of very crooked people in his backround you liberal fools voted him in so you can't cry when we kick his ass out

[susan jensen]

$70 k for 1 night. that's insane.mr. president what were you thinking ? you say you're for the little guy ? then why not take a vacation like us little guy. my family of 4 takes a 5 to 7 day trip every other year on ncl or carnival for approx $3000.00.you need to get real !!!!!!!!!

regards
smj.

[dfh]

This reported cost is like all government related cost. Grossly underestimated. Add in the security prior and during the event, police overtime in NY. Flying the limosine ahead for transportation, fuel, food for all the staff, travel expense for secret service and staff etc. This little date costs atleast double or triple.
They could have offset the cost by limiting Pelosi's weekend to California and let the President use her plane.

[Tom in Maine]

That's what happens when you're president. $96.50 for tickets and $70 grand for the cab. In the old days our presidents did travel more or less like everyone else and without legions of bodyguards and press. Now they're forced to accept a small army of Secret Service and hangers-on. That's what we wanted -- royalty -- and that's what we got.