Obama: No time for America when meeting with foreign leaders and attending fundraisers

The Presidential duties of the past two weeks have been primarily focused on meeting with leaders of other countries and fundraising.  Very little time has been dedicated to the American public, leading the country, or working with any members of the Congress or Senate.

Having read the public schedule of the President over the past few months and summarizing it on this blog, we finally realized how little time Mr. Obama spends on U.S. domestic affairs versus meeting with and entertaining foreign leaders and diplomats. For example, whenever the President is abroad, his daily schedule appears to be filled with meetings and attending events.

However, when he is here in this country, his schedule typically accounts for only 2 to 3 hours of his time, unless he is on the campaign trail. In those cases, he will board Air Force One early in the morning and travel to various cities in order to attend campaign events.

For example, during the past few days that Obama has been in Seoul Korea, he has met with at least 6 world leaders and attended various work and ceremonial sessions. Before his trip, he spent 2 days with PM Cameron of the UK and met twice with PM Kenny of Ireland.

But by comparison, during the days he was in the White House, he only met with his senior advisers twice, had two Daily Briefings, and met once with Panetta, Clinton, and Geithner. At no time did he meet members of the Senate or Congress.

However, 12 campaign events were attended. Mr. Obama led the field with 6, VP Biden had 4, and Michelle Obama is credited with two.

Below is a summary of the travel events of President Obama, his wife Michelle, and Mr. and Mrs. Biden during the period of Wednesday March 14 through Tuesday March 27 2012.


Today, Tuesday - March 27, 2012

• Mr. Obama attended a plenary session and met with PM Yousaf Gillani. Afterward, he departed Seoul, Korea to fly back to the United States.
• Michelle Obama participated in the Cherry Blossom Festival Tree planting ceremony; and then she met with spouses of senior enlisted leaders
• VP Biden hosted a breakfast with Hillary Clinton

Monday - March 26, 2012

• Obama held bilateral meetings with President Hu Jintao of China and then President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. Later, he participated in a Nuclear Security welcome ceremony, dinner, photos, working  sessions and lunch
• Jill Biden spoke at 2012 National 4H Conference. In the evening, she and her VP husband hosted a reception honoring Women's History Month

Sunday - March 25, 2012

• President Obama held bilateral meetings with PM Erdogan of Turkey, President Lee Myung-bak of Korea, President Medvedev of Russia. He also attended a  news conference, working dinner, and spoke at Hankuk University
• Mrs. Obama welcomed school children for White House Kitchen Garden spring planting

Friday - March 23, 2012

• Mr Obama made a personal announcement. Later, he departed DC and flew to Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• Mr. Biden attended a campaign event in Coconut Creek FL

Thursday - March 22, 2012

• President Obama delivered remarks in Oklahoma City. He then left Cushing OK and flew to Columbus OH where he toured Center for Automotive Research before flying back to DC

Wednesday - March 21, 2012

• Obama left DC and flew to Las Vega, NV. There, he toured Copper Mountain Solar 1 Facility and flew to Roswell NM where he delivered remarks. Afterwards, he flew to Oklahoma City OK
• VP Biden delivered remarks at a service hosted by Bipartisan Policy Center

Tuesday - March 20, 2012

• Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden met with Irish PM Kenny. Next, they all had St. Patricks Day lunch. In the evening, President & Michelle Obama hosted a St Patricks Day reception and VP Biden attended.
• Michelle Obama attended a campaign event at Locanda Verde, New York City

Monday - March 19, 2012

• President Obama spent 1 hour receiving a daily briefing and meeting with senior advisers. In the middle of the afternoon, he met with Hillary Clinton. At dinnertime, he attended a campaign event at the W Hotel.
• Mr Biden attended a campaign event in Morristown NJ for Menendez.
• Michelle Obama held a campaign event at Chelsea Piers, New York City

Saturday - March 17, 2012

• Joe Biden traveled to Pittsburgh PA and attended the parade. After, he went to a campaign event.

Friday - March 16, 2012

• President Obama flew to Chicago IL and attended 2 campaign events. Afterwards, he flew to Atlanta GA and attended 3 more campaign events.
• VP Biden was in Wilmington DE, but no official reason was given.

Thursday - March 15, 2012

• Obama spoke at Prince George's Community College
• Mr. Biden attended a campaign event

Wednesday - March 14, 2012

• Mr. Obama, Michelle, Joe & Jill Biden welcome PM Cameron. Then, the  President held 2 meetings with him and other delegations. He held a press conference the day. In the evening, the 4 first entertainers hosted an evening State Dinner for the Cameron's.
• The Biden's and Hillary Clinton hosted lunch for the PM.

High cost of fuel doesn't stop Obama from jetting to NCAA tournament at taxpayer expense

In this past week, President Obama's public schedule has been very relaxing. He held 4 daily briefings and met with Senior Advisers twice. He made an announcement about China and expressed sympathy for the Afghan civilians.  He toured 2 manufacturing facilities, sat for a series of TV interviews, and told the American public that he couldn't do anything that would affect the high gasoline prices we are forced to pay.

Perhaps the most important duties he performed related to his own personal agenda. Mr. Obama met with representatives of the National League of Cities, a non-profit advocacy group whose purpose is to influence federal policy; and he had lunch with Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York. He only attended two fundraisers but treated winners of his democratic fundraising contest to dinner.

Saving the best for last, he now flying off  to Dayton Ohio to watch a first round NCAA Basketball tournament game.

Michelle Obama appeased the Arab and Muslim communities by attending the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards ceremony before taking to the skies and speaking at a New Hampshire Community College and a Boston Fundraiser. Today, she's hosting her own mini-Olympics.

Vice President Biden's schedule has been secretive. They stopped posting his schedule on White House website for the past 2 weeks, so we only know about his steak and truffle dinner last night.

Here is a summary of their major weekly activities for the week of March 7 through March 13, 2012.


Today, Tuesday - March 13, 2012

• President Obama expresses sympathy for Afghan civilians and meets with 2012 Intel Science Talent Search finalists. Then, he takes Air Force One to Dayton OH with Prime Minister Cameron to watch an NCAA Tournament Game.
• Mrs. Obama hosts a mini-Olympics competition

Monday - March 12, 2012

• Mr. Obama was interviewed by several TV anchors and met with leaders representing National League of Cities. Off the public schedule, he ate lunch with Mayor Bloomberg at the White House.
• Vice President Biden attended a fundraiser at John Kerry's Georgetown home, where they ate grass-fed NY strip steaks and white truffle mashed potatoes. (Obviously, this is not the type of diet that Michelle wants everyone the common American public to eat).

Friday - March 9, 2012

• President Obama toured the Rolls-Royce Crosspointe plant in Richmond VA before flying to Houston TX and attended 2 campaign events.
• Mrs. Obama spoke at Penacook Community College in NH regarding Let's Move. Afterwards, she jetted off to a campaign event in Boston MA.

Thursday - March 8, 2012

• Mr. Obama met with the President of Ghana. For dinner, the President and wife Michelle hosted a dinner for the most recent winners of their ongoing re-election campaign contest
• Earlier in the day, Mrs. Obama attended the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards hosted by Hillary Clinton

Wednesday - March 7, 2012

• President Obama left the White House at 10:15AM. He then toured and spoke at a manufacturing plant in Charlotte NC. He returned to the White House 3:15PM. During that time, the President's White House Staff hosted a meeting to organize protests in front of Supreme Court when the Justices begin hearing arguments regarding constitutionality of the Obama health care mandate.

Mr. & Mrs. Obama attend 10 campaign events, but Biden only had 1

Last week's campaign fundraising total was 11 events.  Both the President and Mrs. Obama tied with 5 campaign events each, while VP Biden trailed with only one.

For real USA country business, Mr. Obama attended 4 daily briefings, and met once with his senior advisors, Geithner, Panetta, and Clinton.  He also completed 2 sessions with Mr. Netanyahu.

Interestingly enough, the President attended more campaign events than attending daily briefings.

This is where the traveling trio spent their working hours:

Today, Tuesday - March 6, 2012

• President Obama holds a news conference. In the afternoon, he will attend a campaign event at The Jefferson Hotel in DC. At night, he will participate in a Business Roundtable.
• VP Biden meets with Honduran President in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Monday - March 5, 2012

• Mr. Obama attended meetings at the White House.
• The campaign travel schedule was delegated to Mrs. Obama where she delivered remarks at 2 campaign events: one at the Peabody Opera House in St Louis, MO; and one at the  American Jazz Museum, Kansas City MO
• Mr. Biden was on a one-day visit to Mexico

Sunday - March 4, 2012

• Mr Obama attended the AIPAC Policy conference

Friday - March 2, 2012

• President Obama visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and attended a Conservation event. In between, he called Sandra Fluke and commended her for demanding free contraceptives.
• Michelle Obama attended 3 DNC Committe Events. The first was in Raleigh NC. Next, she attended a  CIAA Women's Basketball Turnament in Charlotte. She completed the fundraising by attending two more events held at the Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte NC.

Thursday - March 1, 2012

• Mr. Obama flew to Nashua, NH to visit a community college and speak about energy. He then flew to NYC to attend 4 campaign events.
• Joe Biden flew to Iowa. He delivered remarks at Iowa State University, and then rushed off to a campaign event in Ames, Iowa.

Wednesday - February 29, 2012

• This day was all about food. Mr. Obama ate lunch with Congressional Leadership, and  he and his wife Michelle hosted a dinner honoring Armed Forces. The Biden's also attended.