In an op-ed in today's New York Times entitled "Too Good to Check" (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/opinion/17friedman.html?hp), Tom Friedman excoriates the right for "a story circulated around the Web on the eve of President Obama’s trip that it would cost U.S. taxpayers $200 million a day — about $2 billion for the entire trip."
Okay, I agree the entire trip cost less than $2 billion. In fact, my estimate in a prior blog entry, "Obama, Asia and "Animal House" Diplomacy" (http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2010/11/obama-asia-and-animal-house-diplomacy.html), was that the 10-day trip would cost tens of millions of dollars, which I continue to believe is accurate.
But neither a leftist or a rightist, I would ask Friedman how much this trip did in fact cost U.S. taxpayers. Naturally, Friedman does not provide the answer.
I would also ask Friedman to specify the benefits of this Asian jaunt. Friedman is again silent.
And I would ask Friedman whether this "Road Trip" was but an attempt to flee the disastrous midterm elections, which were undeniably a national referendum on Obama's first two years in office. No comment from Friedman.
Thanks, Tom, for this profound partisan analysis.
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Well, how much did Bush or Clinton spend on their similar trips before? Do u have the numbers too, Mr?
ReplyDeleteYes, I just spoke with "Ax" and he provided me with the figures. But do you really wish to contend that O is no worse than B or C? What happened to "Change"?
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