That's Her MO
The whole Michelle Obama trip to Spain has been a fascinating story. Just about every pundit admits it doesn't really matter, yet just about every pundit also admits this is a horrible story for the White House. I'm reminded of the big to-do that came out just before the last election about Sarah Palin's clothes budget.
Why do such stories gain wide currency? Obviously one side or the other has an interest in putting out negative stories, but why does the public bite? I guess anything that puts the powerful on a level we understand--gossip, that is--becomes irresistible. People seem to care about which candidate they'd rather have a beer with, so who wouldn't want to know about how they spend their money on personal items?
By the way, the White House wasn't always a road to wealth. Nowadays, Presidents not only live like royalty while in office, but have so many opportunities to make millions afterward (not to mention tremendous benefits) that I'm surprised more people don't run for the money alone. It's hard to imagine the days when Thomas Jefferson had to worry about bankruptcy after his term of office was over.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:11 AM
1 Comments:
Being President, or really in any major political position, seems to be a guaranty of future financial security. I can't think of the last Legislator who faced bankruptcy (though a few do end up in jail).
Watching the HBO series of John Adams this weekend, I saw that John Adams was paid the equivalent of $420,000 or so a year, which is near twice what the President makes now, I think. Of course, he didn't get benefits, free travel or secret service protection.
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