"Want to get away??"

[Elephant Child]

As requested:

Obama's India trip -- not as expensive as you may have heard - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency

"No, President Obama's trip is not going to cost $200 million a day.That figure -- first thrown out by a single Indian media outlet and now viral on conservative talk radio -- is wildly, wildly off the mark.

The problem is that the costs for these trips are impossible to determine, for many of the president's expenses would be incurred whether he was visiting India or Atlanta or simply hanging around the White House.

Foreign trips are expensive but are a staple of presidential duties. India is a rising economy power. It is next to -- and has an intense rivalry with -- one of the world's most dangerous countries, Pakistan. It can be a counterweight to threats from China. Any president is going to deal with India.

Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim majority nation. South Korea is the site of a G-20 global economic summit. Japan is hosting the annual Asian economic summit, which Obama's predecessors also attended. There's no evidence that Obama's team is spending any more money than its predecessors, taking inflation into account.

Yes, these gigs will cost money. But $200 million a day? Not even close.

One other thing to keep in mind: The Secret Service is not going to let anything happen to a president overseas if they can help it. They're going to do -- and spend -- whatever it takes. That's just a fact of life.

One last thing: The media organizations accompanying Obama will pay their own expenses."

If this was a true president venture that was for the purposes stated...why the family and the MIL tagging along. (Extra security, extra cost, etc) Since the news organizations are paying their own way...what about those business folks invited to travel along with him...do they pay their own way too? Also since he is taking his own chef to provide safe food, fear his food will be poisoned, does he pay for that one or do the taxpayers?

 

[30A Skunkape]

Didn't we already have a thread biotching about this expensive trip? Less biotching and more thinking is in order. I scanned this article in Sunday's Old Gray Lady, it is worth a read if you think an investment in Inidian relations is a boondoggle.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/world/asia/31china.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=india china&st=cse

 

[30ashopper]

Presidents always get out of town after a mid term loss. Reagan, Clinton, and Bush all did this. It helps change the subject.

 

[Matt J]

The Obama administaration is not disclosing the cost....the info. came from an Indian newspaper,which I assume has nothing to gain politically from the story.
Do you have any facts?

Right, so the fact that an Indian newspaper was able to break this story is credible?

I find it very hard to believe that some Indian newspaper has White House and Secret Service contacts that would allow them that access and information without any other media source getting it too. If they do then Obama doesn't have enough security in Indian and will likely be coming home in a box.

 

[scooterbug44]

Didn't we already have a thread biotching about this expensive trip? Less biotching and more thinking is in order. I scanned this article in Sunday's Old Gray Lady, it is worth a read if you think an investment in Inidian relations is a boondoggle.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/world/asia/31china.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=india china&st=cse

Since I doubt he'll read it:

"Mr. Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India are expected to sign a landmark deal for American military transport aircraft and are discussing the possible sale of jet fighters, which would escalate the Pentagon?s defense partnership with India to new heights."

 

[30ashopper]

Since I doubt he'll read it:

"Mr. Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India are expected to sign a landmark deal for American military transport aircraft and are discussing the possible sale of jet fighters, which would escalate the Pentagon?s defense partnership with India to new heights."

Boy I bet Pakistan is just thrilled about that.

 

[Matt J]

Boy I bet Pakistan is just thrilled about that.

Puck Pakistan, they're harboring a terrorist.

 

[Teresa]

I've seen the emails on other trips forwarding some foreign blogger's article about Obama's trip costs and entourage. It seems as if people never really knew the costs and logistics of a traveling President but suddenly they are aghast, and they somehow believe that Obama is splurging beyond belief and beyond any other President. The way these emails are forwarded with such hostility and outrage, I'm beginning to think complete ignorance is becoming the norm and worn as a badge of honor. Really, if you even try to respond with accurate information and history of Presidential travel, you just feed the fire and are seen as "elite" (if you think, you are elite). What can you do? Thanks to Scooterbug for having the patience to provide actual information to our members. What a terrific news hound you are! Scooty likes the truth! most of us do, actually.

 

[Matt J]

I've seen the emails on other trips forwarding some foreign blogger's article about Obama's trip costs and entourage. It seems as if people never really knew the costs and logistics of a traveling President but suddenly they are aghast, and they somehow believe that Obama is splurging beyond belief and beyond any other President. The way these emails are forwarded with such hostility and outrage, I'm beginning to think complete ignorance is becoming the norm and worn with a badge of honor. Really, if you even try to respond with accurate information and history of Presidential travel, you just feed the fire and are seen as "elite" (if you think, you are elite). What can you do? Thanks to Scooterbug for having the patience to provide actual information to our members. What a terrific news hound you are! Scooty likes the truth! most of us do, actually.

There was actually a documentary done on, I believe the History channel, about Presidential travel. They followed Bush for a trip to Africa. The advance team was there 3 months ahead of time and they air lifted everything in from supplies to food. They never mentioned cost, and cited security reasons, but it didn't look cheap. I still don't believe $200 million per day, unless Haliburton was in charge, but I could believe that amount as the total price tag for the entire trip.

 

[walk the walk]

and what is the cost? I never saw a figure in your link.