Michelle Obama Can't Escape Critics on Vacation

(CBS)  When Michelle Obama visited the Gulf coast, she reminded us that many beaches were still open and suggested it was a good place to vacation. Right now, she's vacationing in Spain and taking some flak for it back home.

It's not the quiet mother-daughter trip the first lady would have been able to take as a private figure, CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

Last night, Obama and daughter Sasha dined with friends in Marbella, Spain. That was after a shopping trip.

Pictures: Michelle Obama in Spain

Earlier, a 15-vehicle convoy shuttled the entourage - an undisclosed number of staff, Secret Service agents and friends - to a posh hotel where rooms normally run from $300 to $6,000 a night. The first lady's group is said to occupy 60 rooms.

It's not unusual for a first lady to take a private trip abroad, and nobody expects her to stay in a cheap hotel, but with the U.S. economy in such dire straits critics argue the trip is simply in poor taste.

The Obamas already took flak for hawking the Gulf - "Everybody should come here," the first lady told a crowd in Panama City, Fla. - then choosing Maine for their own vacation.

Michelle Obama Visits Panama Beach

Few details of the Spain trip are known. Purely personal parts will be paid for by Obama and friends. Official portions - the first lady will visit the king and queen - will be on the taxpayer's dime. That includes:

• Transport on the Air Force version of a 757. That's $146,000 for the round trip, not counting four to five days' ground time.
• Expenses for the first lady's support staff
• Mandatory Secret Service detail, which could number 70 agents. At the $273-a-day federal per diem for five days, that's $95,550 for Secret Service room and board.

Long gone are the days when a president's wife could quietly duck the limelight. Jackie Kennedy's trip to Italy in 1962 was a scandal to some because she went without her husband.

The New York Daily News called Obama Marie Antoinette, the French queen who thought little of her poor subjects as she draped herself in extravagance.

Michelle Obama Criticized as Marie Antoinette

Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus disagrees.

"While I'm not sure this was politically very smart, I also don't see it as a 'let them eat cake' moment unless we think that the only thing that acceptable for them to do is have a kind of 'staycation' and clean the closets," Marcus said.

The Obamas do plan to promote Gulf Coast tourism when the first lady returns. They'll spend a weekend in Panama City, Fla.

[heavynne]

And you people complaining about taxpayer dollars, you don't speak for me. So if you want to whine about your five dollars which does add up to millions with all other taxpayers combined, then go ahead. The reason I am not complaining about my tax dollars is, my taxes have not gone up and it's not like I look at my paycheck and see, oh Michelle and the girls went on vacation so they took a lot more taxes out of my check. It's ridiculous, get over it. The government does not pay for Michelle and the girls nor their friends, they only pay for the mode of transportation and security which they do need as the family of the president of the US. Do some research, I work for the government, they do not pay for your family to travel, and they surely do not pay for your friends. And with all of the hate towards this family here at home, I would think they need secret service more here in the states than abroad. You people are really scary!!!!!

[DidHeSayThat]

if you work for the gov'ment, then you are a part of the problem too!

[lbence-2009]

No, Marie, did have to pay $9,400 out of the $200,000 for the cost of flying in AF2. Come on folks, she only has two more years to steal from taxpayers.

[heavynne]

If I remember correctly, the Obamas were criticized for going to New York for dinner. They were criticized for going to Maine. If I am correct, both these states are here in the US. So it doesn't matter where they go, hell, the president can't even go golfing, this is just ridiculous and it doesn't matter what they do or don't do and yes, it is racist. True racists will not admit they are racist because they are a bunch of cowards.

[jimhopone]

Michele Obama should be ashmed! But, yet, her husband is never ashamed for what he's doing to the finances of this country, so why should she give a damn.

Also, vacationing in Panama, City, FL??!?? What a joke! This place is a hundred miles from any oil effects. Why don't they go to Biloxi, MS or Orange Beach, AL or the Louisianna coast where the real problem has been/is? They're totally political and gutless!

[heavynne]

by feistywench17 August 8, 2010 10:19 PM EDT
Just keep telling yourself its all about race, say it over and over again. And then remind yourself that only 12% of the population is black. Then ask yourself if white America is racist how did he get elected? Talk about ignorance, you have cornered the market


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The racists who are always complaining about everything the First Family does did not vote for him. People who voted for him know that it's going to take a while to straighten out the mess of eight years that we are in. They are not complaining about every little thing that the president and family do. It's the ones who did not vote him in, that's why we know it's the minority and not the majority. Those of us who are really interested in our country and where it's going, not every little move the president makes (golf.. whine...dinner in New York for 2...whine... Martha's Vineyard... whine dinners at the WH....whine children and Michelle, Secret Service... whine How many time the president goes to restroom...whine). LOL!!!! Real issues, (crickets) Socialist, birth certificate, degrees, Marxist....real issues for racist whites who can't get over the fact that yes most whites voted for a black man. And they think the rest of us can't see through their sheets.

[DidHeSayThat]

Let me guess... Michelle doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere? Not at Princeton or Washington...

[realitynAR]

I don't care if she is on vacation. I'm laughing because people just get mad about anything. But this is done with just about every President, it is soooo petty and even worse now. So if you want to compare this to Marie Antoinette, which is stupid in the first place, I say just eat the damned cake and shut the hell up. Goodness!

[realitynAR]

This isn't a black/white issue, this is an ignorance issue. The people were rich before they ever came to the White House, so why are people acting like they can't go to Spain or spend money cuz we are poor. Hilary and Bill just dropped a wad on Chelsi's wedding, was that a good example? Well they are rich, they can do that. Anybody rich can do that! just like CEOs at big fortune 500 companies can do that. I don't feel that they take too many vacations, its a logical time to go, its summer and school is out. Alot of families vacation this time of the year if they have the money. Bush was always on some little get away, mostly at Camp David or Martha's vineyard, but he still was always on vacation. I think we accept things based on who we like. Most Dems think that Bush did everything wrong and most Repubs think Obama does everything wrong. Oh well life goes on. People know the economy crashed before this man got into office if they don't, they are in denial. No new President could've fixed all of this mess by now, I don't care who he was or what party he was from. Obama is no different than anyone else. Anyone says it would have been different is lying to themselves. That's why we need to sit back and go on the ride because we are blessed that it wasnt any worse. If any of them had any sense we would stop wasting money in these wars, protect our borders, strengthen our intelligence and stop chasing this crazy pipe dream of changing the Middle East. Another thing, when are people gonna get away fromt the race thing and realize it's a rich/poor thing. They just feed us crap and watch us go at it like pawns in a game and ignore that the gap between rich and poor has grown larger and larger over the years. Pay attention, its all propaganda aimed at diverting our attention and feeding our fears and inward insecurities. Keep on with it, I refuse. Not all people who don't like Obama are racist and not all people who don't like Bush are socialist radical racist, just diff philophies. At the end of the day, I was broke then and I'm broke now so who's fault is that? mine, cause I should have saved more and spent less. So I'm not mad cause Michelle got money to go to Spain and I don't.

[plspin]

I would agree that we all need time away from our jobs, however leaving the country on the most expensive (and largest)form of transportation know to our civilized world is a bit over doing it. Understand security and protecting our country but, Obama doesn't need to take "40" friends with her. This is just another bill for tax payers to fork out........ again!!!And we all know that WE are paying for it. It is already costing US a fortune just to keep her and the children happy. Our children will have to pay for this in the future. Once Obama is done screwing up our beloved country, he will retire (hopefully in 2 years) and be living an even better life with the fam and won't have a worry in the world. God help us!!!!!!!!

[heavynne]

What you are saying is ridiculous. We pay for every president and their daughters and wives, none of that has changed. I don't think it's fair that people want to tell this president and family where they can go and what they can do. My taxes have not gone up and neither has yours. It's like this president has to get permission from taxpayers who seem to forget, their little money didn't take them on this trip, it was all taxpayers together. The man was richer than most of us before he became president. I can afford to take a trip with my family, I work and I am not making a lot. But even if I could not afford to, I am not going to tell someone else who can, that they shouldn't. A lot of us work everyday and pay taxes, so what, you are going to pay the same amount of tax whether the first family goes on vacation or not. I have never seen people wanting to control everything the president does by claiming they are paying for it. It doesn't justify that control.

[feistywench17]

Of course they would need to take time off. It must be exhausting coming up with new and creative ways to bring this country to its knees, who could blame the Obamas for needing a little R & R every month. And the best part for them is its all on the taxpayers dime!So tomorrow morning when your alarm clock goes off at 5:00, just take a moment and think of how much Michele and Barack are enjoying themselves. Brings a warm fuzzy feeling to me. How about you?

[sugabear123]

You do realize that a lot of Obama's supporters are from suburban, white America, don't you?

The 'black vote' wasn't what put him in the White House. You can toss the well-worn race card, as it seems to be played any time there is any criticism of the current administration. No leader is without their critics, so it only reflects poorly on you when you demonize people that dare speak their minds.