Sometime people in government have to keep secrets. So naturally, the “single working mother” in the White House gets a vacation in which reporters are not allowed to come along. As the Weekly Standard reports,
"Michelle Obama’s trip to China starting on Wednesday will be nonpolitical, the White House says, a 'people-to-people exchange' emphasizing the importance that both nations place on education. As if to underscore the point, no reporters are traveling with the first lady, and she does not plan to give interviews while there," reports the New York Times.
The White House is defending the first lady bringing her family along for the ride by saying it's what the Chinese would want. "Tina Tchen, Mrs. Obama’s chief of staff and a first-generation Chinese-American, said a multigenerational visit would be appreciated by the Chinese, who value tradition," says the Times.
But in America, the trip is not without controversy. "Mrs. Obama is drawing scrutiny for her decision to travel with her mother and her two daughters, who are on spring break, bringing to mind a vacation she took to Spain in 2010 with her daughter Sasha and some friends. She and her entourage paid for their lodging and entertainment. But the security cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, and the trip was criticized as lavish," reads the report.
First of all, a member of the Administration visiting a foreign government is anything but “nonpolitical.” It twists the English language beyond recognition to use the word in that way.
Secondly, if the government is not directly paying for all aspects of Michelle Obama’s trip, then who is? Who was the financial backer in her “entourage” who paid for her lifestyle? More importantly, what did they get in exchange?
Third, how can our “liberal” leaders appeal to such silly cultural stereotypes of the Chinese and not only get away with it, but get repeated in the New York Times as if they were making a serious claim? A “multigenerational visit would be appreciated by the Chinese, who value tradition”? That’s just embarrassing.
Yes, some Chinese may value tradition. But it is just a silly made-up excuse to claim that bringing Michelle Obama’s mother and daughters is a strategy to reach out to the Chinese.
Hopefully, some brave “Edward Snowden” will break the veil of secrecy and reveal to us Michelle’s expenses and other facts about her state-sponsored vacation.
