Romney Attacks Obama for golfing, "jetting around the world"

Getty Images/Scott Olson

(CBS News) CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Republican challenger Mitt Romney on Wednesday suggested President Obama is not taking his job seriously enough and accused him of spending too much time golfing and traveling the world while the economy struggles to rebound.

"I must say I scratch my head at the capacity of the president to take four hours off on such a regular basis to go golfing," Romney said during an interview with conservative radio host Bill Cunningham, who asked Romney about Obama's more than 90 rounds of golf since becoming president. Romney added, "I would think you could kind of suck it up for four years, particularly when the American people are out of work."

Citing the rise in unemployment numbers and decline in both median incomes and housing values, Romney said the president should put down the clubs and "focus his energy on getting people back to work."

He also questioned the vacation choices of the first family, an apparent reference to Obama's annual trips to Hawaii, where he grew up, as well as a much-criticized vacation to Spain taken by Michelle Obama and their youngest daughter Sasha. Romney said if he were elected to office, he would take better advantage of Camp David, the presidential country retreat located in Maryland about an hour from Washington D.C.

"I know prior Presidents have gone to Camp David and have been able to get a little rest and get away from the demands of Washington, bring some of their key advisers there and focus on solving tough issues," he said. "I would not be jetting around the world and using four years in office to see the world, but instead I would consider the four to eight years in office as a time to get America back on track."

When the Romney family goes on vacation, the likely GOP nominee has a choice between a rambling, luxury home with horse stables that he owns on a lake in New Hampshire and another multimillion-dollar vacation home he owns on the California coast. Romney also has taken his family on overseas getaways.

The topic of the Obama family's vacation habits was recently raised when a St. Louis television reporter told Obama that some of his viewers were upset to see him "jetting around" on vacations while they struggled. The president said he believes the American people understand that he is working hard on their behalf.

[relkh]

Too bad CBS didn't include the reason why Romney commented on twiggy's golf game. Twiggy referred to him as an elitist. At least Romney spends his own money, not mine.

[InformedPerson2012]

Too Bad CBS didn't report that most of any president's vacations are working ones, with daily intelligence and national security briefings and a large staff, CBS News's Mark Knoller reported in 2010. That other presidents, including Presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, had taken more vacation than Obama did during the first year of his presidency.

[greco99-2009]

Tomorrow Mitt will say that Obama does not travel enough.

Mitt the Liar will say anything !

[relkh]

I see you didn't mention all the trips Obamo has taken. Including his family going around the world on juants. Did you pay for Romneys travel expenses? You paid for Obamas. How can you come to such a stupid comment?

[OldTimeTruth]

Yes Mitt says he has a business mind. Well he is right on that one. He is now working on becoming President to get FREE Health Care and a Great Retirement Package for life. The rest of us. well you know. KILL our Health Care and by the way we the tax payer don't need to retire. So why should we have Social Security. It's the MITT'S WAY. Let us all jump up and down for joy!

[relkh]

Where do you get your information from, the Ogbamo Troups?

[daffy64]

I know Presidents are stressed out and take vacation time, but seeing a Blackie enjoying golf just bugs me.

[JJ609]

I feel sorry for your mom that she bore a brain-dead child.

[OldTimeTruth]

Boy this means Mitt is going to be a stay at home person.(In our Whitehouse) Wonder if he will ever find out what the rest of the world is doing or going to do to us. What a great leader he will be!!!! Imagine him as Chief Cammander. LOL

[a-real-American]

How come all I ever see from the left is how bad Romney is? Tell me something, anything good Oblamo has done---save me the party line! I hear that 200 times a day give me the facts---undisputed facts!!!!! chirp chirp...all I hear are crickets

[WHAT-IS-HE-SMOKING]

Ask all the auto industry works that are getting a paycheck instead of being let go like Mitty wanted to do.

[daffy64]

Kill Bin Laden?

[OldTimeTruth]

Hey Mitt, since you are so proud of "your silver spoon" why don't you take a year off and go to work at a food pantry. You might just get a good look at what the rest of us see everyday. Or are you to proud too? If you do that I just might think about voting for you.

[relkh]

He happened to start out just as you and me. So don't be so damn envious.

[Tomkath]

4 more years of Obama and we will all be eating dog. We haven't had a budget since Obama has been in office. Thanks democrats. What's the real unemployment numbers?? And where are Obamas college transcripts??

[daffy64]

Where's his birth certificate, for that matter?

[OldTimeTruth]

Bet you guys think the sun comes up in the west every morning. LOL

[eMars1]

1195 days of saving the free world from U.S.Treasury Robbers and Crazed Terrorists; 90 rounds of golf; That's 1 round of golf every 2 weeks and Mitt squeals about it like a little kid. (Sorry little kids, don't mean to insult you by comparing Mitt to ya). Has SENILITY set in already. Ever notice the self-satisfied expression Mitt gets on his face immediately after saying NONSENSE like this; like he just landed the knockout blow! How about starting his General Election campaign at an NRA Convention; Already he's talking about his schedule for '4 to 8 years' as President? Telling a sitting President that just saved the Entire Nation and possibly the Whole World from financial collapse to 'start packing his bags' [then that self-satisfied expression again]. Think he just might be SENILE!!! or SUFFERING not-so-EARLY ONSET DEMENTIA!!! BIZARRE!

[a-real-American]

Keep drinking the koolade....You sheeple never cease to amaze me at how you can spout the party line without the first inkling of what any of it means.

[eMars1]

1195 days of saving the free world from U.S.Treasury Robbers and Crazed Terrorists; 90 rounds of golf; That's 1 round of golf every 2 weeks and Mitt squeals about it like a little kid. (Sorry little kids, don't mean to insult you by comparing Mitt to ya). Has SENILITY set in already. Ever notice the self-satisfied expression Mitt gets on his face immediately after saying NONSENSE like this; like he just landed the knockout blow! How about starting his General Election campaign at an NRA Convention; Already he's talking about his schedule for '4 to 8 years' as President? Telling a sitting President that just saved the Entire Nation and possibly the Whole World from financial collapse to 'start packing his bags' [then that self-satisfied expression again]. Think he just might be SENILE!!! or SUFFERING not-so-EARLY ONSET DEMENTIA!!! BIZARRE Behavior indeed!!

[relkh]

where have you been? Oh, I forgot, you have your head in the sand. Romney was only responding to Obama referring to him as an elitest. I guess he can do what he wants with his own money. Did Obama get all your taxes or only part of them? Too much any way you look at it. Talk about the skillet calling the kettle black.