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Ranch and relaxation When President Bush wakes up and smells the coffee Friday at his Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas, he will surpass Ronald Reagan as the vacationing-est chief executive in our nation’s history. While Reagan required eight years to establish his 335-day milestone, Bush has eclipsed “The Gipper” in less than five years. (Perhaps the record books should contain an asterisk since Bush has had to endure the protests of anti-war mom Cindy Sheehan and her growing entourage.) But compared to the average American, the bicycling Bush is clearly the Lance Armstrong of free time. Earning an average of 12 vacation days a year, Americans will leave 421 million vacation days unused, according to a survey by Harris Interactive for online travel site Expedia.com. In a Monster online poll, 24 percent of more than 23,000 respondents cited "too much work" as the reason they don't use all their vacation days. About 47 percent said they do take all their vacation days, and 10 percent said they skip vacation days because they fear they might be laid off, not a major concern for our president after his “moment of accountability” last November. "Can you imagine your reaction if you were told in a job interview that you were expected to work eight days each year for free?" said Tom Williams, chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts in a press release. "Yet that's what about half of the American workforce is doing. Ultimately, though, it's not just about whether you're taking full advantage of your compensation and benefits. It's about whether you're taking full advantage of life." —Posted by Richard Williamson

August 18, 2005 | Permalink

Comments

Come on now. Being President is a 24/7/365 commitment, and a job which has every minute of the workday crammed with critical decisions . If you've watched the news coverage, you'd notice that there is work still going on. I'd wager his vacation work load is far heavier than most CEO's who use the corporate jets and helicopters and retreat centers on Sea Island or Aspen to fete their wives and friends. And if you examined Congressional vacation schedules the same way, we'd read that THEY take far more time off on plenty of boondoggles and work many fewer hours than the President of the United States or the Work-a-day Person they pretend to honor.

What should be more interesting to your audience is how the White House uses vacation opportunities to manage the media and the message. While some war protestors are challenging that effort, the fact is that being outside the Beltway allows Bush to set the media agenda and tone while reducing our focus from wheeler-dealer politicians stumping in DC. Pretty smart if you ask me.

Posted by: Ed O'Meara | Aug 19, 2005 10:59:19 AM

bush has taken 335 vacation days in less than 5 years.

that's about 67 days a year he takes off.

the average american gets 12, takes 4

meanwhile, the lsat 5 years have been some of the most trying in US history, with 9/11, iraq, oil prices, the economy..you name it.

i don't care how 'connected' he is when he's on vacation. that's beyond pathetic.

oh, and i like how you said 'war protesters are challenging that effort' to manage the media and message. it's called exercising free speech. besides, this is an administration that never gives a straight answer and has classified more documents under the patriot act than any other administration.

Posted by: fuckoff | Aug 19, 2005 7:12:11 PM

Perfect-
Read the first two entries from Ed O'Meara and the coward calling himself "f*&*off" for an example of the level of intellect each side brings to debate.

Posted by: Dave | Aug 21, 2005 1:12:08 AM

Dear "f*&*off",

Talking from a soapbox, writing a letter to an editor, penning an OpEd in the NYT, self-publishing a book, or posting to a blog (even while hiding behind a Pseudonym as you did) are all exercises in Free Speech.

I say that moving to Texas for a month to sit and pose for the media on the roadside outside the President's ranch is an act of protest and an effort to manage the media - neither of which I condemned.

Posted by: Ed O'Meara | Aug 25, 2005 8:32:42 AM

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