Saturday, July 04, 2009

Shouldn't He Be On the Clock 24/7?

I remember when the Left mocked George W. Bush for going to bed early while war raged in Iraq and Afghanistan. I remember when the Left sneered at President Bush clearing brush on his ranch, instead of dealing with the important matters of running the country. And I remember how George W. Bush was vilified as not serious, stupid, a moron, for having movie nights in the White House, even after 9/11.

But all that has changed now.

When President Obama talks up the family-friendly vibe at the White House — the nightly family dinners, the flexibility to attend school presentations and join impromptu plunges in the pool with his girls — his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, sets him straight. “Family friendly to your family,” Mr. Emanuel counters.

Shouldn't Barack Obama be excoriated for playing with his children and taking a dip in the pool, as opposed to dealing with the heavy problems facing the country? Isn't that what a real president--not a stupid man, a moron--would be doing? And shouldn't his staff be happy to devote fewer hours per week (60 to 70, according to this story) than many first year attorneys? This is the White House, after all.