Posted on 07/08/2009 5:57:52 AM PDT by raybbr
MOSCOW If Paris is for lovers, it looks like Moscow is for families.
After passing on dinner with the French president to go on a date in the City of Light with his wife last month, President Obama took leave of his Russian hosts on Tuesday night to seclude himself in his Moscow hotel with his wife, Michelle, and their daughters.
The first family enjoyed a relaxed evening at the O2 Lounge, the super-chic, super-pricey rooftop club at the new Ritz-Carlton, although no doubt the Secret Service first cleared the place of most if not all of the swaggering tycoons and leggy models who flock to such Moscow venues.
They could not ask for a more scenic vista. The glass-enclosed O2 offers a panoramic view of Moscow, including Red Square and the Kremlin, all the more striking as the lingering summer sun sets after 10 p.m. The club is a place to see and be seen, as its Web site says that is, unless you are a visiting president who after a day and a half of blinis, beluga and bilats (the diplo term for bilateral meetings) just wants to hang out with the clan.
The decision to brush off the Russians on one of his two nights here miffed some in the Moscow government who did not understand why he would not devote the scarce time to his hosts. Mr. Obama had dinner with President Dmitri A. Medvedev on Monday and lunch with him on Tuesday. But with the second dinner slot unavailable, he ended up having breakfast Tuesday with Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, a known night owl not given to American-style early morning business meals.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Stupid bastard! (And I mean bastard in the literal sense)
and stupid in the literal sense? This guy is such an empty shell. No substance at all.
Too many white folk expecting them to socialize in Moscow- better to spend the night at the Ritz Carlton.
The ‘Bama ventured too far from his handlers in the MSM.
It’s getting pretty bad when he can’t even get his story straight on the age of his daughter.
Wow. The NY Times, no less.
The daughter that just turned eleven seems much more like a 13 yr old to me.
Everything about this family is a lie.
I can understand the sentiment of wanting to go off and have dinner with his family but a president has responsibilities that come before dinner with the wife and kids.
Its one of the reasons I would never want to be president.
Actually, his commitment to time with his family is one of the few things about him I’m okay with.
If I was the ruskies, I’d publicly complain about his “snub”, then go home and thank god I didn’t have to sit with that twit (obama) and his wife for a 3 hour meal.
Great instead of sending a world class leader of an industrialized nation to speak to the Russians, we send the Griswald family from National Lampoon's European Vacation. Obozo acts like a kid who got hold of daddy's credit card and is taking his girlfriend out on the town.
Hey BamBam!!! You're there on the taxpayers dime to conduct the business of the country not to impress Shelly and the kids!!!
On a side note, just where is her royal thighness?
Then he needs to make a choice. Family or presidency.
Yeah but notice it how they always seem to wrap up their stories with some fun-loving, lighthearted humor about Barry or his family?
The folks at the NY Times are shocked and dismayed that the Russians didn’t fall to their faces and worship at the feet of their Obamessiah. Also, I think the American people should sue grandma and recover travel expenses and room and board.
Democrats are so anti-choice.
Speaking of relatives, whatever happened to his aunt the illegal alien?
This type of club is not a proper place for children. Good grief, ZerO and Mrs ZerO are such morons.
Interesting that so many would bluster about you saying this, while at the same time making the same statement about Sarah Palin.
Totally agree. However, his second evening in Russia was not the time for a family dinner. That should have waited. These "social" events on presidential trips abroad are important times when relationships are developed. This was right down rude.
What like playing golf on Father’s Day instead of being with his children?
Unless things have changed since I was there last, in Russia you will sit through your 3 hour dinner and drink your vodka like a good boy for each and every toast by each and every man at the table. I am sure they gave GWB a pass on the vodka, but he no doubt put up with all the rest.
And this is supposed to be our citizen of the world president? Simply a rude boob from Chicago and easy pickings for an opposite number with KGB training and credentials.

This goofball will come back home and spend the next two weeks off playing golf.
Not that I want him to work, but, this guy is such a nimrod that his handlers keep him on a shorter leash than Bo. There is no way DumbO is calling the shots in the White House, but, we are being run by an unelected cabal of communists that make the Soviets look genial.
That is not what I call a quiet night with family.
He is being an “ugly American” tourist when he travels on our dime. Nothing more. Apparently he needed more time in the Senate if for no other reason that to get take a few more junkets. We can't afford this kind of self-centered amateurism.
So perhaps it was best for him to skip the dinner and vodka with Putin and do breakfast and OJ instead.
Meanwhile, his aunt is on public assistance in Boston and his half-brother lives in a Kenyan hut.
Ever notice how this guy always seems "tired"? When he was making gaffes left and right during the campaign, it was blown off as being "tired"....far as I know, George W. Bush was NEVER "tired" (although, as President, he was probably exhausted at times). Even Bill Clinton was never "tired" (of course he had enough energy to jam his pee pee into fat teenagers' mouths).
B. Hussein Obama is only 48 years old. John McCain, at age 73 and having the crap kicked out of him in Vietnam by Democrats (People's Democrat Republic of Vietnam) had more energy than Obama.
Barry Soetoro Obama may be a committed Marxist intent on destroying our Capitalist way of life and America as we know it, but at least he may be too lazy and out-of-shape to actually pull it off.
I take your point, but the fact is he only had two nights in Moscow, and he can see his family anytime. There are plenty of business people who have to take business trips, and are expected to fill the time of those trips 100% with productive activity on behalf of their companies. And if that includes endless business breakfasts, lunches and dinners, so be it.
Why should we expect less from the President of the United States?
Another “Let ‘em eat cake” moment for the Zero.
Another snub for another f’n date night?!
Clods.
Not stupid but totally and I mean TOTALLY self involved to the point NOTHING else matters to him, not where he met his wife, his daughters age, correctly pronouncing someones name (this is a major no no). If it’s not all about him it simply is not important.
I suspect neither one is comfortable in polite society.
Without his tele prompter or script, he is totally incoherent and the mrs. is totally without class or dignity.
Anyone care to guess how much that little special moment cost the US taxpayer?
I think at the root of Barry Soetoro's problem is that, no matter where he is in the entire world, he thinks he's the host!
“Actually, his commitment to time with his family is one of the few things about him Im okay with.”
Family time is a good thing. Making an official state visit to Russia is not the time or place for “family time”. his actions jeopardize our families very existence.
or where he met his wife
Maybe BO was afraid that MO would try to match her hosts in the vodka toasts drink for drink.
Another site says that really means Russian mobsters and prostitutes....
In general I would agree. However, Obama is not in Moscow for a vacation. The Russians mean business and Obama should be doing the same. Instead, Obama is playing vacation, and as a result the Russians have handed him his ass several times on major issues.
Good point.
We probably should be grateful that he didn't get slopped up with vodka & interrogated by the well-schooled KGB agent, Putin.
Lord knows what secrets he would have revealed!
I agree that his apparent devotion to his family is one of his few good qualities. However, there are times when his responsibilities to the United States and its citizens should and must take precedence over “time with his family”.
Official visits to foreign nations are some of those times.
Michelle probably couldn’t have gotten her lobster if they went out with the russians.
BTW, is she going to come home on AF1 or is she going on another shopping trip and come home on her private 757??
Inquiring minds want to know.
Obozo was following his muslim upbringing when he visited the muslim countries. Women are of no value there & Michelle was not welcome to be with him.
That's the reason she was sent to another country - & then flew home from there.
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