$7000 playset for the Obamas

[Ken Newcomb]

I think it is great that he bought his kids a swing set.

Nothing wrong with taking care of your kids.

[Steve Amrein]

My thoughts are that his spending will be just like this play set. Full of good intentions but in the end will have zero return and nobody will use it.

[Uncle Bill]

Hate to burst everyones bubble...BUT the story on the swingset was that it came from a Brookings S.D. company that is a big Obama fan, and it was a donation to the family. Have no way of confirming that, but it was a big story on the Sioux Falls TV stations when it was first set up at the White House. I'd doubt they would smear themselves with that much egg, by not checking the story out.

The eastern part of Sodak, from Aberdeen down through Watertown, Brookings and Sx Flls is quite liberal...as I like to refer to them, "Minesoooooota Lite".

UB

[Buzz]

As a matter of interest, where did the $7000 price quote come from? The dealer's quoted price for that set is about $3500. We actually have a similar set at my church from the same company.

That play set was built right here in Brookings South Dakota, probably by people I know personally. So, I'm glad he went shopping for the kids, thanks Mr. President!

Thanks UB, we don't mind the label here. My sister-in-law is a state senator from here. She's VERY liberal!

[duckheads]

Hate to burst everyones bubble...BUT the story on the swingset was that it came from a Brookings S.D. company that is a big Obama fan, and it was a donation to the family. Have no way of confirming that, but it was a big story on the Sioux Falls TV stations when it was first set up at the White House. I'd doubt they would smear themselves with that much egg, by not checking the story out.

The eastern part of Sodak, from Aberdeen down through Watertown, Brookings and Sx Flls is quite liberal...as I like to refer to them, "Minesoooooota Lite".

UB

i am sure they will get plenty in return. he is spreading plenty of our money around to many of his supporters!

plenty of pork to go around regards!

[YardleyLabs]

i am sure they will get plenty in return. he is spreading plenty of our money around to many of his supporters!

plenty of pork to go around regards!

Absolutely. I mean, just look at his speech on education where he's already promising teachers that he will support merit based pay and broader support for charter schools. Oh, I forgot, teachers oppose both of those things.

The release from the white house said that the Obamas had some parent to parent conversations shortly after the election on things they could do to minimize the effects of their forthcoming "move" on their daughters. They decided to buy a playset as one of their actions and ordered it and paid for it last fall. If they did actually pay for it themselves, it was a departure from prior Presidential policies. The incoming President has a budget for redecorating the residential quarters at public expense. The playset installed by the Obamas was not the first in the white house and I suspect and hope it will not be the last. There is no rule that all Presidents have to be old enough to be grandfathers.

Truman was "given" a one lane bowling alley for a birthday present but it was moved for use by other staff. Nixon installed a bowling alley for himself that was paid for by "friends" and Gerald Ford had a swimming pool installed, at tax payer expense, to replace the one that Roosevelt had built but that was converted into a press room by Nixon, who didn't swim. A children's garden was donated by the Johnsons and the children that have occupied the WH since then have added their handprints in concrete.

Personally, I hope that the WH continues to have children as occupants and that it will always be child friendly. I want Presidents who know who they are really working for.

[Hew]

Absolutely. I mean, just look at his speech on education where he's already promising teachers that he will support merit based pay and broader support for charter schools. Oh, I forgot, teachers oppose both of those things.

Oh, well if Obama promised....

Given that the usual suspects at the NEA gave the speech rave reviews leads me to believe they don't put much stock in his education-related promises, as their knee-jerk response would typically have been to stomp up and down like wet hens about what he said.

His rhetoric, however, is at odds with his actions...given that with the stroke of his pen, Obama just killed the Washington DC school voucher program after this school year. In his defense, it was part of the porkulus package and he didn't have much choice. His spokesflack insists that Obama will find a way to get it re-funded. Add it to the list of promises. We'll see.

At least Obama isn't a raging hypocrite like the Clintons. Obama put his kids in a tony private school and at least pays lip service to public school alternatives. While the Clintons stuck Chelsey in a private school all the while pimping for public schools and whoring themselves to the NEA.

[Skybuster]

Glad he bought his own playset. If he'd used our money, he may have spent $70,000. You know. Creating jobs and jumpstarting the economy.

[Marvin S]

Absolutely. I mean, just look at his speech on education where he's already promising teachers that he will support merit based pay and broader support for charter schools. Oh, I forgot, teachers oppose both of those things.

Money on the table always quiets the Teacher's Unions. They know merit pay as unworkable as it will be administered by those already in charge. & they have been providing a unsuitable product for years. Now had he said "We will be providing more money & higher pay for those qualified to teach Science & Math in our country's national interests" there would have been some meat on the table, & you would have heard an outcry. & to that he could have added "We will also supplement salaries for those with IQ's higher than the norm". More outcry.

As for charter schools, it is my belief that government schools should have competition - charter schools & vouchers are the only answer.

His rhetoric, however, is at odds with his actions...given that with the stroke of his pen, Obama just killed the Washington DC school voucher program after this school year. In his defense, it was part of the porkulus package and he didn't have much choice. His spokesflack insists that Obama will find a way to get it re-funded. Add it to the list of promises. We'll see.

He's a real promiser, & a real take charge sort of guy (as evidenced by his glib talk), who apparently does not understand the remotest about closing a deal. But you wouldn't expect him to know that, he's never done anything where accomplishment was measured & results were expected.

[luvalab]

Um, given all the places these kids WON'T be able to play for the next four years, 3500--or 7000--of his own money doesn't seem that big an indulgence. So what if it's big enough a couple of 2nd graders can get lost in it for a while (and maybe forget the secret service is watching).

3500 approaches what it might cost to run a dog JH through MH assuming your dog crashes and burns once in a while and you sleep in a Motel 6 rather than at a rest stop, and 7000 might be not even a year of putting a dog with a pro.

Good grief. Let the man buy a nice swingset for his kids.

Gotta say I'm happy with some of you stood up for the kids when you could have taken the usual tone or just kept quiet. That's nice.