GOP Hypocrisy: Grassley Blasts Obama for Sightseeing in Paris

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:29 pm

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Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is very upset with President Obama for going sightseeing in Paris, while telling Congress to get moving on healthcare reform. Grassley posted, “Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us”time to deliver” on health care.”

Grassley originally posted on Twitter, Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us”time to deliver” on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND.” An hour later came, “Pres Obama while u sightseeing in Paris u said ‘time to delivr on healthcare’ When you are a “hammer” u think evrything is NAIL I’m no NAIL.”

Republicans have no room to talk about presidents and vacation. George W. Bush spent 250 days of his first 15 months in office at Camp David, in Crawford or Kennebunkport. Up to August of 2008, Bush had spent 916 days of his presidency on vacation. He spent almost as many days on vacation as JFK spent in office.

I personally don’t begrudge this president a little down time. Unlike Bush, Obama seems to prefer the short getaway as opposed to the week or two out of the office. From the early looks of it, Obama is more of a weekend off kind of president. Of course, any president is never truly on vacation or off the clock until their terms ends.

The hammer and nail complaint is as old as the hills, and it is usually true. All presidents see themselves as the hammer and congress as the nails. This is part of the built in conflict caused by the congressional separation of powers. Grassley’s complaints would have more credibility if he would have complained about Bush’s vacations, or if he just wouldn’t have returned from over a week of vacation for Memorial Day.

(H/T: Think Progress)

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association