Michelle Obama's Africa Vacation Cost More Than $432,142 October 4, 2011 RSS Feed Print First lady Michelle Obama's family trip to South Africa and Botswana in June cost taxpayers well over $424,000, according to new accounting based on Air Force manifests obtained by Judicial Watch, a taxpayer watchdog group. The use of Air Force aircraft alone for the June 21-27 trip cost $424,142, said the group, and that doesn't include the food, lodging, and ground transportation for the 21 family and staff members. [See photos of the Obamas abroad.] Judicial Watch said it based the jet costs on the Pentagon's hourly rates for the C-32A aircraft used for the trip. The documents don't give exact cost calculations, which is typical for presidential and first family trips. [See political cartoons about President Obama.] Obama is like many first ladies, spending summers traveling on good-will missions, sometimes with family and friends. On the June trip, during which she was accompanied by her daughters and mother, the first lady urged young people to engage with their governments and she pushed her education and wellness agenda. They also took a safari in South Africa, well known for its beautiful Lion King-like settings. The costs of the trips have often won media scorn, as did her trip to Spain the previous summer. READ MORE: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/wa...le-obamas-africa-vacation-cost-more-than-4321 One more time...Let them eat Cake. Saying her daughters were Senior Advisers??? MIL, nieces, nephews??? Hair stylist, make up artist...OK that she needs. $1000 on food!!! Then came the tourist events. How many ways can Moochele say FU America??? Gezzz for all that money she could have at least loaded up Uncle Omar and taken him back.
I just saw that in this economy, what was the cost benefit to send Michelle and family on the vacation? They are completely out of touch with the citizens and their arrogance knows no end
And it's amazing that the poor in this country don't take issue with all this waste and abuse. They seem to not mind it a bit because it's apparently done by one of their own.
1/3 of what republicans are spending to (*)(*)(*)(*) with gays 500k she gest a vacation for her and others.... 1.5 million so Boehner can enlarge the federal govt and attack gays
I'm a bit lost by your answer. Do you feel the country received in-kind value for this taxpayer funded vacation?
Man this chic is drunk with power and someone else's money... First Lady Now Requires 26 Servants $172,2000 - Sher, Susan (Chief Of Staff) $140,000 - Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy And Projects For The First Lady) $113,000 - Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary) $102,000 - Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady) $102,000 - Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady) $90,000 - Medina, David S. (Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady) $84,000 - Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady) $75,000 - Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady) $70,000 - Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady) $65,000 - Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary) $65,000 - Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary) $62,000 - Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator For The First Lady) $60,000 - Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady) $60,000 - Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady) $52,500 - Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary To The First Lady) $50,000 - Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide To The First Lady) $45,000 - Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence For The First Lady) $45,000 - Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director, Social Office) $40,000 - Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief Of Staff to the First Lady) $36,000 - Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary) $36,000 - Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant) $36,000 - Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady) http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/13827
So much for the health kick... Michelle Obama tucks in to fat cakes and French fries on trip to Botswana with one of her senior advisors...LMFAO!!!!!
I am having a hard time understanding the logic here. Because someone is spending money to "harass" homosexuals [in your opinion] that means a half million dollars in flight costs for an exotic junket is OK? When you add the hotel rooms, meals, security and, knowing Michelle Owebama, the clothes shopping, this "vacation" cost the taxpayers more than $2 million. Then about a month later they took the whole freaking White House to Martha's Vineyard. At a time when even the employed in the US are struggling, when most people's retirement funds have vanished this is sick.
its sick to spend 500k on a vacation.... yet not a single person complaining minds spending 1.5 million to (*)(*)(*)(*) with gays. and you still dont see the logic huh?
$400,000? That's probably 1/2 of what it cost to ferry Bush back to his ranch to clear brush or Raygun Ronnie back to CA so that he could get some of that west coast sunshine.
That's not counting Spain and then Martha's Vineyard. Believe me it is much more than Bush spent going back and forth to his ranch. If you have a link proving otherwise post it or give it up.
yah, and they voted no The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group consists of three Republican members of the House -- Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) -- and two Democrats: Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.). The group has the authority to instruct House General Counsel Kerry Kirchner to take legal action on behalf of the lower chamber, and it often gets involved in situations where House leaders believe there are institutional or separation-of-powers issues involved. Pelosi tweeted Wednesday evening that she and Hoyer voted against the resolution while Boehner, Cantor and McCarthy voted for it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...iage-act-lawyer/2011/04/19/AFWaIJ6D_blog.html
I hear a peep now. Sorry to inform you but Bushy is not in charge anymore. This is all Ubama. 2.5 years now...it's all his.
I don't understand wtf is going on here. Both of these are total BS. Our elected official's wife (someone that wasn't even elected) spending over a million on a (*)(*)(*)(*) trip is WRONG. Republicans spending 1.5m on their political agenda is also WRONG. Politicians from both of the isles are bleading us dry while half the country is fighting the other half with the ONLY reason of but your people do it too. Wake up people. I know it isn't that hard...
Why don't she just crawl into her corner of the White House and be a good, christian wifey, who abides and honors her husband and Jesus Christ?
Oh no, I would never expect the King and Queen to act like that. Besides that I think they more ascribe to Muhammad.