The Associated Press reports that, including this weekend, President Biden has spent three of his eight weekends since taking office at his longtime home outside Wilmington, Delaware. (We’re guessing that doesn’t count his weekend getaway to Camp David to play Mario Kart.) He also has a recently purchased beach house in nearby Rehoboth but hasn’t spent any weekends there yet.
It’s all part of getting away from the “gilded cage” that is the White House.
A White House work break: Biden's homes provide brief respite from 'gilded cage' https://t.co/IopoU1jzUm
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) March 13, 2021
“A White House work break.” What did he do besides sign the pork-filled stimulus bill and give a half-hour speech detailing the successes of Operation Warp Speed without ever mentioning Operation Warp Speed?
As we noted in another post this week, a journalist’s job is to call one professor for comment on any story:
Many presidents have complained at one point or another about feeling confined in the White House. Biden already has echoed earlier presidents in comparing the experience to living in a “gilded cage.”
So trading the 132-room executive mansion for a less confining, more relaxing weekend hangout can help presidents unwind, said University of Chicago political scientist William Howell.
“What he wanted to be was president,” Howell said. “It is not the White House per se that is the draw.”
Buried lede: Biden actually wanted to be president.
Taking a break already???
— West Coast Avenger (@RonGosselin6) March 13, 2021
But Trump couldn’t go to Mar A Lago without democrats bitching.
— Kevin Finnerty (@KFinnerty0) March 13, 2021
I’m old enough to remember when the media lost their shit every time Trump went to his home in Florida.
— HammerDownHanna ?? (@Hammerdownhanna) March 13, 2021
And the difference between this and golfing is? I’ll wait.
— Lisa98354 (@Lisa98354) March 13, 2021
The difference is CNN won’t have a photographer stationed in the bushes taking blurry photos of President Biden lining up a putt.
Ok fine. But if he dares play golf during his break, he should be attacked and impeached. The hypocrisy of the @AP is tragic. Next hard-hitting article will be about Biden’s favorite pie.
— BoomerThis! (@BoomerThis0226) March 13, 2021
Such a whirlwind of activity. Press conferences, public appearances, campaign style rallies, televised cabinet meetings, etc.
— Timotay (@TimHansenisu) March 13, 2021
I wish the media would stop being so hard on these two……….
— ??_Mr.?Poe??Cat_?? (@MPoecat) March 13, 2021
All those naps taking a toll on him I guess.
— Just A Guy (@JaimeHerreraWat) March 13, 2021
He hasn't even been at work for two months and he needs a "respite" from… what? He makes few appearances, answers no questions, and apparently doesn't do much of anything but toss logs on the fireplace.
— Memory Hole Saboteur (@Truthiness4U) March 13, 2021
Anyone keeping track of how much it costs to fly him around
— Where’s my money Joe? (@mikediller) March 13, 2021
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki didn’t give a cost estimate, but she did defend his trips home on the weekends.
The White House defends Biden’s leisure travel at a time when both he and federal health officials have been pleading with the public to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously, including by avoiding unnecessary travel.
“The president lives in Wilmington. It’s his home. That’s where he’s lived for many, many years,” press secretary Jen Psaki said recently. “And as you know, as any president of the United States does, he takes a private airplane called Air Force One to travel there.”
“I think most Americans would also see that as a unique circumstance,” she said of the government aircraft available to Biden.
Maybe he’s going home to feed Major, who got sent home for bad behavior.
He’s so relatable. Biden is the most popular president in US history. https://t.co/PHcWbDdsko
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 13, 2021
Related:
CNN blows the lid off President Biden’s early bedtime and preference for a fire in the fireplace https://t.co/P1hSoIo5FA
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 16, 2021
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