Bush Enjoys Vacation As Middle East Crisis Escalates

In an effort to "prevent Palestinians from attacking towns in southern Israel with missiles," Israel today undertook its third day of offensive military airstrikes in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, raising the death toll to more than 300. The Palestinian casualty numbers have been described as the highest over such a brief period since the 1967 Six-Day war. Scores of Israelis have been wounded -- and at least one killed -- by rocket attacks fired by Palestinians. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the situation "all out war."

While Bush has been briefed on the situation by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, he has opted not to interrupt his final vacation as president to make a public statement on the crisis. For someone who has enjoyed the most vacation days as sitting president -- including days spent relaxing in comfort during Hurricane Katrina and in the lead-up to 9/11 -- it shouldn't come as a huge surprise that Bush prioritizes vacationing over crisis management.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[rabiddog6708]

From NBC's Mark Murray
A "Then and Now" to show what the United States looked like when Bush was entering office and what it looks like now as he's leaving.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Then: 4.2% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2001)
Now: 6.7% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 2008)

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE
Then: 10,587 (close of Friday, Jan. 19, 2001)
Now: 9,015 (close of Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009)

BUSH FAVORABILITY RATING
Then: 50% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 31% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

CHENEY FAVORABILITY RATING
Then: 49% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 21% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

CONGRESS APPROVAL RATING
Then: 48% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 21% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

SATISFIED WITH THE NATION'S DIRECTION
Then: 45% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 26% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE (1985=100)
Then: 115.7 (Conference Board, January 2001)
Now: 38.0, which is an all-time low (Conference Board, December 2008)

FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY
Then: 6.4 million (Census numbers for 2000)
Now: 7.6 million (Census numbers for 2007 -- most recent numbers available)

AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE
Then: 39.8 million (Census numbers for 2000)
Now: 45.7 million (Census numbers for 2007 -- most recent available)

U.S. BUDGET
Then: +236.2 billion (2000, Congressional Budget Office)
Now: -$1.2 trillion (projected figure for 2009, Congressional Budget Office)

[totaldisbelief]

He might just as well amuse himself because nothing anyone says is going to change things over there one little bit. Frankly, why not just let both sides go at it and we can mind our own business (which seems to be suffering greatly right now)

[doublels]

This conflict suits his vision of the apocalypse so...may as well go on va-ca.

[struwwwel]

He who does nothing can do nothing wrong.

Yet, each and every one, within the range of free and intentional choice, is responsible for his/her own actions as much as for his/her own inactions.

[tcuoohjohn]

It is fitting that Bush should end his last days in office as he began it...with a vacation

[dteg]

He has lots of vacation coming up. Unbelievable. At least the man can look like he is trying to do something or care instead of lying on the couch eating chips as the world falls apart.

[lunchlady]

How can you say when his vacations stop and start? What has he done since the election besides a few last minute Gotcha bills, sign the auto bailout and some pardons? Seems like he also can't wait for Obama to take over.
He'll have plenty of time to relax soon enough. He'll can write a book about his legacy. He can choose the colors for his library (cough, cough).

[jhoughton1]

Hard to know what to wish for in these situations. Sure, we want a president who's engaged in the job of being president -- but Bush f's up everything he touches, so maybe it's better he stay on vacation. What a sad, sad situation.

[Lemmy]

Bush is doing what he should be doing . . .watching Hamas get crushed.

[daedelus]

Oh yes. And a hearty "Hail to the Chief" for that.

[leeman79]

The man has been AWOL his entire life.

[haval2]

Balrog22...you need a map...Tel Aviv is not the capital of Israel...it's Jerusalem.

[Okieborn]

Bush Has Abused the Tax Payers and still continues !!
All Vacations are paid for by the American Citizenry !!!

[Lemmy]

Obama is golfing . . . just an FYI . . . .

[jhoughton1]

Just another FYI, Obama isn't president.

[doublels]

Completely illogical. As Obama has said repeatedly..."there is only one President of the US and that is George Bush".
TWENTY MORE DAYS!!

[Midnightrain]

He's on vacation waiting for the price of oil to skyrocket again, which will certainly happen as a result of the middle east conflict. I'm not sure he wasn't involved in the decision to b o m b Plstn.

[Lemmy]

Up $2 today . . . wow . . . through the roof . . . .

[doublels]

Your name should be "Lemming" as in the lemmings who follow GB...no original thoughts of their own...just follow, follow, follow till you arrive at the state of the US today...which is not the US I grew up with.

[noralou]

Before 9-11 Bush had spent about a third of his presidency on vacation, it is obviously a priority for him. Much like his continued reading of a children's book while America was under attack, this shows that he much prefers to spend time having fun and having power but when the poop hits the fan, he ducks and runs!

[kellygrrrl]

in all fairness, perhaps he understands that his involvement in anything tends to make matters worse

Go away, W -- far far away!

[BlueStateMan]

Indeed.

The LESS he does, the BETTER off ALL of us will be.