What's Up with This?

[M&K's Retrievers]

According to NDTV.com, Obama's trip to Mumbai will cost $200 Million per day. About 3,000 people will accompany him including Secret Service, US Officials and journalists. Why in the heck is he even going there other than to hide for a few days? $200 Million per day. Unfriggin believable! With any luck, maybe he will just stay there.

[YardleyLabs]

I call BS. If you believe that number, which would amount to $130,000 for each of the reported 3000 people (a questionable number given the 800 hotel room reportedly booked) traveling over the course of the two day presidential visit, you are also probably a good candidate for some over-water real estate.

$200 million x 2 days = $400 million. Full rate at the Taj Mahal Hotel is $360/night (substantial discounts available). 800 rooms x $360/day x 2 days = $576,000. I have no doubt that the trip will cost several million, not $400 million. For reference, total US aid to India is less than $100 million per year and has declined steadily over the last decade.

[dnf777]

According to NDTV.com, Obama's trip to Mumbai will cost $200 Million per day. About 3,000 people will accompany him including Secret Service, US Officials and journalists. Why in the heck is he even going there other than to hide for a few days? $200 Million per day. Unfriggin believable! With any luck, maybe he will just stay there.

I heard it cost a kazillion-jillion!

[starjack]

I call BS. If you believe that number, which would amount to $130,000 for each of the reported 3000 people (a questionable number given the 800 hotel room reportedly booked) traveling over the course of the two day presidential visit, you are also probably a good candidate for some over-water real estate.

$200 million x 2 days = $400 million. Full rate at the Taj Mahal Hotel is $360/night (substantial discounts available). 800 rooms x $360/day x 2 days = $576,000. I have no doubt that the trip will cost several million, not $400 million. For reference, total US aid to India is less than $100 million per year and has declined steadily over the last decade.

Im with mk on this. why is he going with that many AND HOPE HE STAYS THERE!!!

[subroc]

I call BS...

Me too........

[M&K's Retrievers]

I call BS. If you believe that number, which would amount to $130,000 for each of the reported 3000 people (a questionable number given the 800 hotel room reportedly booked) traveling over the course of the two day presidential visit, you are also probably a good candidate for some over-water real estate.

$200 million x 2 days = $400 million. Full rate at the Taj Mahal Hotel is $360/night (substantial discounts available). 800 rooms x $360/day x 2 days = $576,000. I have no doubt that the trip will cost several million, not $400 million. For reference, total US aid to India is less than $100 million per year and has declined steadily over the last decade.

Jeff, you left out a few minor expenses:

!. The trip is 3 days I think
2. 570 rooms at the Taj Mahal Hotel, 90 rooms each at the Grand Hyatt and Oberoi Hotels plus all the restaurants and banquet rooms are reserved
3. Three Marine Helicopters
4. 39 transport planes plus fighter escorts
5. US and India navel ships patrolling the Mumbai waterfront
6. Pres Limo plus 45 cars
7. How many advance people have been there and for how long?

I don't care if the trip was free, why is he wasting the POTUS time going there?

Training in the rain regards,

[M&K's Retrievers]

I heard it cost a kazillion-jillion!

What? No smiley face or is that a new medical term? I don't care what it cost, it is a blatant waste of tax payer funds and POTUS time. On the other hand, while he is there he can't accomplish anything.

[dnf777]

What? No smiley face or is that a new medical term? I don't care what it cost, it is a blatant waste of tax payer funds and POTUS time. On the other hand, while he is there he can't accomplish anything.

No, its making fun of a totally bogus pile of horse-crap!

I don't know what the actual numbers are. Its very high to be sure. But guess what? That's life in the 21st century!

The POTUS is chief ambassador, and that involves foreign state visits. It always has been, and always will, be expensive.

By the way, it was a republican who transformed AirForce One from a Boeing 707 to a Boeing 747 wide-body jumbo jet. Do you want to express outrage at that, while you're ranting about wasting tax-payer dollars?

[YardleyLabs]

Jeff, you left out a few minor expenses:

!. The trip is 3 days I think
2. 570 rooms at the Taj Mahal Hotel, 90 rooms each at the Grand Hyatt and Oberoi Hotels plus all the restaurants and banquet rooms are reserved
3. Three Marine Helicopters
4. 39 transport planes plus fighter escorts
5. US and India navel ships patrolling the Mumbai waterfront
6. Pres Limo plus 45 cars
7. How many advance people have been there and for how long?

I don't care if the trip was free, why is he wasting the POTUS time going there?

Training in the rain regards,

If three days, then $200 million/day would add up to $600 million. You couldn't spend that unless you were involving 30,000 people, not 3,000. I agree, the real question is why is he going at all. The answer is pretty straightforward. India in ne of our most important trading partners today and has a good chance of becoming or most important partner in Asia over the next 10+ years. As we find our world increasingly influenced by China, India has the potential to be a decisive ally. This trip has already been postponed repeatedly. India has been visited by US Presidents five times since its independence: Eisenhower in 1959, Nixon in 1969, Carter in 1978, Clinton in 2000, and Bush in 2006. Obama's early relations with India have not been strong, in contrast to the good relations that existed with Bush, Clinton and Reagan. If we wish to remain a significant force in Asia, we will need that relationship to be strong.

[M&K's Retrievers]

No, its making fun of a totally bogus pile of horse-crap!

I don't know what the actual numbers are. Its very high to be sure. But guess what? That's life in the 21st century!

The POTUS is chief ambassador, and that involves foreign state visits. It always has been, and always will, be expensive.

By the way, it was a republican who transformed AirForce One from a Boeing 707 to a Boeing 747 wide-body jumbo jet. Do you want to express outrage at that, while you're ranting about wasting tax-payer dollars?

Perhaps you should read post #6. I hope it's BS but if it's $100 million a day, it's too much. I'm not talking about who's taking the trip. It's the trip and it's cost.

I have no problem with the POTUS (any POTUS) traveling in style but when I'm strapped for cash, I don't go. Maybe he should stay at home as well and set a good example. Remember he told people to stay away from Vegas.