Butby Mark Silva
They probably didnt need a call center in Bangalore to make this appointment: President Barack Obama played golf today with Tom Friedman of the New York Times.
The president and his guests played 18 holes at Andrews Air Force Base on a spectacular fall-teasing day. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and White House trip director Marvin Nicholson joined them.
It was a long afternoon. The president's motorcade was back at the White House by 5:50 p.m. EDT.
Obama had taken Friedman's latest book with him on vacation at Martha's Vineyard -- Hot, Flat and Crowded covers global warming, rapidly growing populations, and the astonishing expansion of the world's middle class.
There's a good bet they talked about more than birdies today. But no, the course at Andrews is not really flat -- rather rolling and picturesque.
And when the president plays, it's not crowded.
Comments
The real question is will the media count this as a vacation day like they would for Bush?
Posted by: John D | September 20, 2009 8:04 PM
Silva,
Better watch yourslf, the gov't might be giving your owners bailout money - that could mean the dictation of your salary. How would like some gov't buraucrat running your business?
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/59523-obama-open-to-newspaper-bailout-bill
Posted by: Terry | September 20, 2009 8:37 PM
Friedman told him:
"The next 6 months are CRITICAL"
That's what he always says.
Backtest Tom a bit.
When did he predict the meltdown?
Posted by: ornery | September 20, 2009 10:22 PM
So how many holes in one did Dear Leader make THIS TIME?
Posted by: Bill | September 20, 2009 10:45 PM
Last week Friedman wrote a column wishing the U.S. was more like a one-party autocracy, so the government could impose policies against the people's wishes.
No wonder he and Obama are golfing buddies!
Posted by: Change in 2012 | September 21, 2009 12:37 AM
Obama and his Big government control the auto companies, the banks, what you read in the extremist media (No they are not Main Stream) and see on TV. Yes GE owns MSNBC and stands to make billions off of the Green wind power plants.
Now, they want to control you through healthcare. It's not about giving healthcare to anybody. Everybody in the US gets healthcare. Yes, it needs improving and could have been improved months ago, through marginal steps. NOBODY, remakes the wheel when you already have it invented. Fix the system that is in place, fine.
If you want to see what BIG government does to the people, look at the farmers in the central valley of California. With unemployment at 12% in the state, the BIG government has decided that the Delta Smelt, a tiny fish, is much more important than the 38 million people that his decision affected. Three million people live in the area where the water was shut off to the most fertile valley in the world. So, when do humans become an endangered species? There are other ways to protect the fish, but Nancy Pelosi has blocked 7 attempts to turn the water back on for these people.
We have a radical president, backed by a radical congressional leadership.
You want food grow here in the US, or China?
We have seen how trustworthy the food is coming from China.
Everything that radical idealism does, has far reaching consequences. Leave people alone. The love of Freedom will eventually defeat you. But, if you insist on carrying out your radical idealism you, me, we all will also suffer higher taxes, higher prices for food, poorer quality food, higher unemployment, and countless suffering of millions of people at the hands of your idiotic short sighted idealogy.
Posted by: Gary | September 21, 2009 2:48 AM
Change in 2012,
No where in his editorial did he state he wished the US was more like a one party autocracy. He stated a one party autocracy, if well minded, was more efficent in handling unpopular issues that need to be addressed. In his article he mentioned healthcare, energy and immigration as such types of issues. It could easily be implied that Friedman's wish in the article is that the GOP was less obstructionist and got back to it's core principles of promoting the welfare of the business class of the country not that he wished for a US autocracy.
Try reading the article again with a less jaundiced eye and you might amend your previous post.
Posted by: kg123 | September 21, 2009 10:08 AM
Hey its great to see Obama working and relaxing I think hes the best President the Us could have we love him here in Germany
Posted by: Golf bob | September 21, 2009 12:32 PM
"kg123", in attacking me, you had to rewrite what Friedman actually wrote.
Because Friedman didn't write that autocracies such as China "are more efficient in handling unpopular issues" (as you say). He wrote that autocracies can, and I quote, "impose" policies against the people's will. "Impose" is something autocracies do, and something autocrat-wannabe Friedman clearly longs for--so long as the policies "imposed" are the ones Tom Friedman and Obama support.
You grade out as an "A" for effort, "D" for accuracy.
Posted by: Change in 2012 | September 22, 2009 3:24 PM