Blair House: Which date bumps Obama?

Continuing to try to say the Obamas were slighted.

The Obamas are going to Blair House on the same date as every other incoming president has come in.

Perhaps, if the Obamas planned ahead they would have asked earlier for residency at Blair. (This could be indicative of poor future planning by the Obama administration).

This is another article by the press trying to stoke hatred, bad feelings, lack of respect by others towards the Obamas.

The public is getting wise to these "news" reports.

Gina,

Pretty snipey for someone who wants the matter left alone (and no wonder given the weakness of the defense).

The Obamas are ahead of the curve in planning their move to Washington, including their recent decision that the girls will attend Sidwell Friends, which in turn recently let them know the start date which brought about the "conflict" at Blair House.

Besides, we want to leave a couple of extra days to get the "recycled" Foster's out of the drapes and carpets when John Howard (not to be confused for his forebears, Moe and Curly) leaves.

Which of these stories has Mark Silva written more articles about:

1) Bill Richardson "pay for play" scandal.
2) Hillary Clinton "pay for play" allegations
3) The inexperienced Leon Panetta nominated to head the CIA
4) Rahm Emanuel-Blagojevich senate seat discussions
5) Barack Obama's DC hotel accommodations.

If you said number 5, you'd be correct.

This Obama supporter thinks this is all a tempest in a teapot. Give it a rest, the Obama family isn't exactly hunting for refrigerator boxes.

Guess what? Obama isn't president yet. Bush, one of the worst presidents ever, in my opinion, still IS president and thus still has the right to use the WH guest residence for friends, allies, the dog catcher, if he wants. He gets to use it for parties, etc. Obama wanted it early because, despite all protestations to the contrary, he wanted to SEEM to be president fromabout Jan. 1 on. He's not.

If his girls needed to get to school early, then he was responsible for his own accommodations. That's what he did. It really shouldn't matter who's at Blair House, because the Obamas -- and God forbid they be inconvenienced in any little way -- don't get to have it until Jan. 15. Too bad if they're tired of hotels. They could have stayed in Chicago and moved the kids later. I grant you that would have been more difficult but, again, guess what? All kinds of kids have all kinds of difficulties. They need to get used to them.

And the joke that is the Chicago Tribune continues. Really, is it possible for this "news"paper to hire actual reporters? Actual reporters without some agenda? Actual reporters who aren't in the bag or work for the Obama PR machine? Actual reporters who know actual news? Who know actual stories?
How about investigating a real story, Mark? Say, like, who are the donors who are paying the tab for the Obamas to live at the Hay-Adams Hotel? I mean, didn't Michelle Obama make six figures at her most recent job? Didn't Barack make six figures as a senator? Haven't they made millions of his books? So, despite making all that money, they can't afford to pay for their own bills? Donors are picking up the tab. Now, that is a REAL news story, Mark. But then, you would have to do some actual reporting and some actual digging and, of course, not write a fawning piece about the Obamas and how they are being put out by staying at the $3,000 a night Hay-Adams Hotel.

There is substantial truth in everything posted above. But I think this misses the point.The classy, gracious thing to do would be to accommodate the President-Elect. Not because it's required, but because people with class take the high road.

Bush may have all the money in the world, but this situation shows once again money and class are not synonymous.

John D,

Right. Shelling out that 3K/nt because of the bogus (John Howard couldn't find accommodations elsewhere -- puleeze!) excuse by the W administration that Blair House wasn't available. You would've complained more if it was public money paying for it -- so give it up.

Bruce, if you're done counting you can put your penny loafers back on -- you're stinking up the Swamp.

This country is divided with so many levels of double standards. In President Obama's case booking the Blair House was mean spirit and cruel. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to block out dates around his inaugraution

Bruce, for Mark Silva to do that, he would actually have to a reporter and a reporter without an agenda. Silva and the rest of the Tribune's Washington Bureau are nothing more than shills for the Obama people. They get their marching orders from their good friend, David Axelrod. And, of course, the media in this country cannot be bothered about covering Democratic scandals. If they covered Democratic scandals, the people might not like the Democrats and then they won't vote for them. It's best to keep the people uninformed about Democratic scandals or to play them down. Silva and the rest of the Tribune Washington Bureau wouldn't know how to be actual journalists if it smacked them in the face. They have no shame, they have no honor. They are as corrupt as the Democrats they fawn over.

Brucie:

Look back - there have been posts here about 1, 3 and 4 - more than this one.

Johnny D:

Can we go back now and look at who has paid for EVERY President's stay in DC before the inauguaration? Who paid for oilman Bush's hotel bills??

John D and Bruce:

While you're sitting over your computer screaming "No Fair!" and crying like kindergarteners over the big-meanie liberal media, do the tears ever short out your keyboard? Too bad if they don't because you might actually get the opportunity to get a life if your computers stopped working for a while.

The nature of the articles posted here haven't changed since I have been reading, and neither has your responses to them. To continually read and participate in something that seems to upset you so much is really irrational. I'm pretty sure there are blogs out there that might be more your style so your world can make sense to you. Don't you ever feel like you're sitting in the stands at a baseball stadium booing a player who can't hear you at all and wouldn't care if he did?

Just saying...

When I heard that Blair House was booked I assumed that all or most of the bedrooms and reception rooms were full for the two weeks preceding inauguration day. In that case, it would have been difficult (but not impossible) to make arrangements to accommodate the Obamas.

One person, rightwing neonut John Howard, and his "entourage" shutting down such a huge official residence seems very suspect, IMO. Surely it would have been easier to make alternative arrangements for the Howard group than for the Obama family, considering the security issues involved with the latter.

There is "booked" and then there is BOOKED.
This shows the disrespect and pettiness of BushCo and the Republican party as whole once again and the funny thing is they still don't understand that their partisan pettiness is one of the major reasons why they can't win elections anymore. I am so proud of how Prez-elect and Mrs. Obama have demonstrated, as usual, grace in the face of disgrace, and dignity in the face of pure, unadulterated, ugliness from the Bush crime family....again.

I agree with the above comment regarding class. You either have it, or you don't. Be honest with yourself. Do the math. Bush and his entire administration do not make the grade.

Reagan, Clinton and Carter all moved into Blair house prior to Jan 15th. Reagan and Carter moved in on Jan 1 and Clinton in December. Jan 15 is not a usual time, it is just when Bush moved in.