Hawaii: Too ‘Foreign’ and ‘Exotic’ for a Presidential Vacation?
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 08.12.08 | 3:01 PM ET
Photo of Napali coast by Barack Obama’s Hawaiian vacation has stirred up some laughable comments, but none as laughable as this: On the pundit circuit, Cokie Roberts has floated the idea that Obama’s trip to Hawaii sends the wrong idea about the candidate and his campaign, implying that his vacation spot—his birthplace, the home of his grandmother and, of course, a U.S. state—puts him out of the American mainstream. “It has the look of him going off to some foreign, exotic place,” Roberts says. “He should be in Myrtle Beach if he’s going to take a vacation at this time.”
Really? How many Americans would say they prefer a trip to Myrtle Beach over Hawaii? Anyone?
Talking Points Memo has some fun with the ridiculousness, asking its readers, “What is the most white-bread place for a black presidential candidate to vacation, since that’s apparently the new standard?”
Some of the picks: Wisconsin Dells; Kennebunkport, Maine; and Dollywood.
Email to friend
Twitter
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Furl
Ma.gnolia
Mixx
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Yahoo! Buzz
Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
Julia 08.12.08 | 5:08 PM ET
Living inside the Beltway for too long addles the brain, and I say that as a DC native.
How about giving Obama some “family values” cred for visiting his grandmother and sister?
Rachel 08.12.08 | 9:07 PM ET
Since Hawaii is a US State it is not foreign Ms Cokie Roberts. He is visiting his family. Can’t those people leave him alone. Geez…
TambourineMan 08.12.08 | 10:49 PM ET
Come on. Who among us would not take totally awesome Myrtle Beach over boring crap like Kauai or the Kilauea volcano? Barack is way off-base and needs to give S Carolina some big love.
Ling 08.12.08 | 11:47 PM ET
Even if Obama had gone to Myrtle Beach, they would have piled on him for visiting Hard Rock Park. You know, Rock Star visits Hard Rock park, or something like that… Shouldn’t take these blowhards seriously.
Barbara Benham 08.13.08 | 11:05 AM ET
Oh, were this commentary from an article in The Onion.
John 08.13.08 | 1:31 PM ET
Myrtle Beach is an okay place, but Hawaii offers some quiet life away place for a presidential candidate..