'The Obamas treat Air Force One like an Uber ride': Chief of spending watchdog says president's Christmas Hawaii trip is too expensive to justify
Head of Judicial Watch criticized cost of trip, which will spiral into millions
Air Force One costs $206,000 an hour to fly, and is one expense of many
Secret Service, local police and ambulance and other security also needed 
Obama family are off on eighth annual Hawaii trip from this Friday
The First Family are due to stay away from the White House until January 4 
For more of the latest on the Obamas visit www.dailymail.co.uk/obama
By KIERAN CORCORAN FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 11:33 EST, 15 December 2015 | UPDATED: 12:50 EST, 15 December 2015


Barack Obama has been savaged by a top spending campaigner for taking the First Family on an eighth consecutive Christmas vacation to Hawaii, at huge expense to the American taxpayer.

The President was accused of treating Air Force One, which costs $206,000/hour to run, 'like an Uber ride' ahead of his next jaunt to his home state.

Fly-time alone will set taxpayers back somewhere in the region of $3.5million as Obama, the First Lady, Sasha and Malia and their two dogs jet off for around two weeks.

They have traditionally rented a luxury villa in the upscale Kailua area on Oahu, the main island, and head out for hikes, rounds of golf and restaurant meals with their friends.

Tom Fitton, the head of the Judicial Watch pressure group, said Obama's holiday habit proves that he is out of touch - and has to stop.


He told AL.com: 'The Obamas' travel is out of control. They are treating the Air Force One like an Uber ride.

'And President Obama seems oblivious to the burden he is placing on Americans with his continuous vacations, getaways, and political junkets at taxpayer expense.'

During the trips, the Obamas are accompanied by a substantial Secret Service detail, who costs thousands of dollars a day to accommodate in the idyllic vacation spot.

Local police also work overtime and an ambulance trails the Presidential party at all times in case of disaster - all of which will push the total further into the millions.


Although some expenses - including the rent - are paid for privately, the emergency personnel and daily expenses of Obama's security detail are all publicly-funded.

Exact figures for the trip - outside of Air Force One - are hard to obtain. According to a Watchdog.com report on the 2014 trip, there is also an Air Force cargo plane to bring Obama's helicopter and limo, which costs more than $150,000 to get to Hawaii and back.

A second plane brings a Marine Corps contingent at similar cost.

The Honolulu Police Department also spends in the region of $275,000 a year in overtime for its officers, while the ambulance from the local Emergency Management Services costs $15,890 to keep on call.

Secret Service agents - of whom there are said to be 'dozens' each year - are reportedly housed at a cost of around $200 per person per night, while material for other security measures would also be met from White House funds.

It is not yet clear precisely where the Obamas will stay, though they have traditionally favored somewhere near Kailua.

During their year-end trips to the Hawaiian islands the Obamas typically lounge around their rental home, venturing out only on occasion for shaved ice and dinner with their friends.  

Since 2013, the Obama family have gone on scenic Christmas hikes, tried out snorkeling in Hanauma Bay and dined at the gourmet Alan Wong's Restaurant. 

President Obama generally spends his time on the golf course or working out at a local Marine Corps base.

He and the First Lady usually make a special trip to the base to to wish the troops stationed there a Merry Christmas and to thank them for their service. 

On the island, it appears preparations are already under way for the presidents' arrival.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there are temporary flight restrictions in the area from December 19 to January 4.

An islander also told Honolulu TV station KHON2 he had seen Secret Service in the area and had been given a flyer about security in Kailua Bay.

The Hawaii trips are not the only examples of extravagance which have been seized on by critics.

In March it emerged that the White House dropped at least $1million flying the President and the First Lady to Los Angeles and back on two separate planes inside a single day so they could be on TV.

Barack Obama sat down with Jimmy Kimmel to appear on his NBC show, while Michelle grabbed the change to be interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres.

Despite the two shows being filmed just miles apart, the White House insisted the journeys were 'not in sync' so required separate planes.

As well as the Christmas vacation, the Obamas typically take a summer retreat to Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast, allowing the President to tot up some more hours on the golf course. 

He and the First Lady usually make a special trip to the base to to wish the troops stationed there a Merry Christmas and to thank them for their service. 

On the island, it appears preparations are already under way for the presidents' arrival.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there are temporary flight restrictions in the area from December 19 to January 4.

An islander also told Honolulu TV station KHON2 he had seen Secret Service in the area and had been given a flyer about security in Kailua Bay.

The Hawaii trips are not the only examples of extravagance which have been seized on by critics.

In March it emerged that the White House dropped at least $1million flying the President and the First Lady to Los Angeles and back on two separate planes inside a single day so they could be on TV.

Barack Obama sat down with Jimmy Kimmel to appear on his NBC show, while Michelle grabbed the change to be interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres.

Despite the two shows being filmed just miles apart, the White House insisted the journeys were 'not in sync' so required separate planes.

As well as the Christmas vacation, the Obamas typically take a summer retreat to Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast, allowing the President to tot up some more hours on the golf course.

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Barack Obama's Air Force One Christmas trip to Hawaii 'is too expensive'

| Daily Mail Online http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3361183/Obamas-treat-Air-Force-One-like-Uber-ride-Chief-spending-watchdog-president-s-Christmas-Hawaii-trip-expensive-justify.html/


Documents reveal Obama vacation to Hawaii, Africa, cost $16 million

http://m.watchdog.org/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwatchdog.org%2F134687%2Fobama-vacation-hawaii%2F&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-3361183%2FObamas-treat-Air-Force-One-like-Uber-ride-Chief-spending-watchdog-president-s-Christmas-Hawaii-trip-expensive-justify.html/

Obamas headed to Hawaii for 8th Christmas vacation: Here's how much it will cost you

AL.com http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/12/obamas_headed_to_hawaii_for_8t.html/
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Wow: How Much Michelle Obama Just Cost Taxpayers For 24 MINUTES Is Almost Beyond Belief

Kevin Whitson

Michelle Obama’s November five-day trip to Qatar and Jordan, some might say, cost Americans a pretty penny.

Western Journalism has been reporting on what some would call the extravagant spending of the Obamas. In two months alone this year, the Obamas spent over 4.4 million dollars on vacations and political fundraising. Judicial Watch has repeatedly stated the American taxpayer should be outraged.

Michelle Obama’s November five-day trip to Qatar and Jordan, some might say, cost Americans a pretty penny. Obama speaking at the “Let Girls Learn” conference in Doha, Qatar, cost the American taxpayer an estimated $750,000. The First Lady spoke for 24 minutes. She also visited Jordan while in the Middle East, but those costs have not been reported as of yet.

While in Jordan, Michelle Obama spoke at a U.S. constructed and funded school for refugees. In a tweet, she stated that the U.S. is building 25 new schools in Jordan; and 70 percent of those will be schools for girls.

The Washington Examiner reported that the on-ground costs for the First Lady’s trip to Qatar totaled $450,000. The costs include hotel rooms, suites, and a ballroom for both the FLOTUS and the Secret Service. The Examiner also reported that Judicial Watch usually requests, via the Freedom of Information Act, the costs for jet fuel and costs which add up to more than $300,000.

The event attended by Michelle Obama in Qatar was called the 2015 World Innovation Summit for Education; it took place on November 4th. Mrs. Obama was the guest of Sheikha bint Nasser Al Missned, who is the second of three wives to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, a member of the ruling Al Thani family of Qatar.

http://www.westernjournalism.com/wow-how-much-michelle-obama-just-cost-taxpayers-for-24-minutes-is-almost-beyond-belief/

It's okay.
They offset the costs by shopping at target.