Presidents On Vacation

Andy Rooney Analyzes Presidents' Vacation Habits

(CBS)  The following is a weekly 60 Minutes commentary by CBS News correspondent Andy Rooney.

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Being president of the United States must be a terrible job, but one of the worst things about being president is that someone keeps track of every little thing you do. I'd hate to have someone following me around all day counting everything I did, particularly when I'm on vacation.

President Bush has made 66 trips to his Texas ranch since taking office. He'll pass Ronald Reagan's record of having spent 436 days away from the White House.

Many of President Bush's critics are being critical of him now for all the time he spends away from his office but I'm not critical or envious at all because for half the money in the U.S. Treasury you couldn't get me to go to Crawford, Texas, at this time of year. When it gets cold at night there, the temperature can dip way down -- sometimes below a hundred degrees.

Vacations are pretty easy for our presidents. They don't have to go through security at the airport. They don't have to take off their shoes or empty their pockets. All presidents have to do when they leave Washington is climb the steps of Air Force One, smile and wave goodbye to us.

Eisenhower played a lot of golf on his vacation.

The first George Bush played golf. Bill Clinton played golf, but not very well.

President Kennedy took his vacations at the family compound on Cape Cod. It was always called "a compound." Whatever that is.

Lyndon Johnson took off 484 days in five and a half years in office. That's a world record for a president's vacation. Lyndon also rode his horse on vacation. Reagan looked good on a horse, of course.

Several presidents have gone to Florida for their vacation. Warren Harding was the first but after that Harry Truman went to Florida often. He wore his Florida clothes down there.

Jimmy Carter often went to his peanut farm in Plains, Ga., but in four years Jimmy took off only 79 days -- and that's another record for a president. Jimmy was a good sport, too. He played softball with the reporters.

Bill Clinton went with the smart crowd to Martha's Vineyard.

President Bush is back in the Oval Office now so everything ought to be all right again in Washington.

[twylacrat]

I only feel safe when Jr. is out of Washington. I think he should spend MORE time on vacation. We''re all safer that way.

[michelejosep]

Andy: Regarding tonight''s sign off message, did you write the orignal story that CBS has on it''s website in 1999 about the president''s vacation time? Something about the story sounded so familiar that I googled the words "Clinton vacation days in the White House" and I quickly found the story from 1999 on CBS about all the president''s vacation days. What wasn''t mentioned in tonight''s broadcast was that Bill Clinton, in 8 years, only took 152 days vacation to Carter''s 79. I guess you thought it was more interesting to say that Clinton wasn''t a good golfer. But apparently, Clinton was a workaholic. Maybe you ccould mention that in next week''s 60 minutes. So, did you write that 1999 article as well? I''ll provide the url right here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/08/21/politics/main34415.shtml

[abbyjo2001]

Andy, have you become a liar for the Bushevecs? After the disgraceful interview done by Pelley and your pandering to that sleaze ball Adolph, I will not be watching Sixty Minutes again.