Amid an international ebola health emergency, U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, and the illegal immigration crisis surging on the southern border, President Barack Obama leaves on Saturday for a lavish Martha’s Vineyard twelve day vacation at the 8,100-square foot mansion of Democratic Party donor Joanne Hubschman.
The timing of Obama’s swank vacation has even the president’s supporters worried.
“Even some of Obama’s most ardent supporters are questioning the wisdom of this summer’s sojourn as war roils Gaza and a wave of families and children are crossing the southwestern US border illegally,” reports the Boston Globe.
The White House announced Thursday that Obama will briefly interrupt his vacation by returning to Washington on Sunday, August 17, for a few meetings and then jetting back to the Massachusetts island retreat on August 19 to continue his vacation until August 24th.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said there is no need to worry that Obama is disengaged from the duties of his office because he travels with “an array of communications equipment” that enable him to carry out his presidential duties..
“He travels with an array of communications equipment and national security advisers that will allow him to perform all of the functions that are required of America’s commander in chief,” said Earnest.”
Obama has vacationed at the wealthy Martha’s Vineyard retreat every year of his presidency save 2012 when he was busy campaigning for re-election.
The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll finds Obama hitting a new all-time low approval rating of just 40%.
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