Right-Wing Media Attack Obama For His Holiday Observances
HANUKKAH
Fox Nation: "Obama Celebrates Hanukkah At The White House ... Two Weeks Early." On December 8, Fox Nation linked to an Associated Press article about Obama hosting a White House Hanukkah party under the headline, "Obama Celebrates Hanukkah at the White House...Two Weeks Early." From Fox Nation:
Hoft: "Obama Celebrates Hanukkah... Two Weeks Early... Lights All The Lights." In a December 9 Gateway Pundit post titled, "Obama Celebrates Hanukkah... Two Weeks Early... Lights All the Lights," blogger Jim Hoft wrote, "It's OK. It's just a Jewish Holiday. Obama celebrates Hanukkah two weeks early and lights all the candles." [The Gateway Pundit, 12/9/11]
For more on Obama's observation of Hanukkah, SEE HERE.
CHRISTMAS
IBD's Andrew Malcolm: "As Americans Struggle, The Obamas Make Do With 37 Christmas Trees." In a December 12 Investor's Business Daily post, conservative commentator Andrew Malcolm noted that the Obamas "installed 37 different Christmas trees" in the White House and further wrote:
How simple, politically astute, symbolically helpful and cost-effective it would have been for the Obamas this year to say that in sympathy with so many struggling countrymen, they were curtailing holiday decorations to match the sacrifices of others. [Investor's Business Daily, 12/12/11]
Hannity: The Obamas Are "Living It Up" With White House Christmas Decorations. During the December 12 broadcast of his Premiere Radio Networks show, Sean Hannity read from Malcolm's post and claimed that the Obamas were "living it up, with almost 40 Christmas trees in the White House." [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 12/12/11, via Media Matters]
For more on Obama celebrating Christmas too vigorously, SEE HERE
Fox's Hayes: "The Average American Is Going To Look Up And Say, 'Well, Why Is My President Taking 17 Days Off When We've Got Unemployment Still At Nearly 9 Percent?' " During the December 4 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends Sunday, Fox News contributor Steve Hayes said that Obama's 17-day Christmas vacation is not a "problem on substance" but that "[t]he message it sends, I think, has to be worrying to the White House." From Fox & Friends Sunday:
HAYES: The message it sends, I think, has to be worrying to the White House. This is a president who said he would keep Congress in Washington because there was so much work to be done, and yet he then announces that he's going away for 17 days. It's the kind of thing that the average American is going to look up and say "well, why is my president taking 17 days off when we've got unemployment still at nearly 9 percent?" [Fox News, Fox & Friends Sunday, 12/4/11, via Media Matters]
Big Government: "Barack Obama Will Take A 17 Day Vacation In Hawaii Over The Holidays. Can't Let A Payroll Tax Extension Get In The Way Of A Few Rounds On The Links." From a December 3 Big Government post:
Friday, President Obama reacted to the Senate's failure to pass his gimmicky Payroll Tax Cut Extension:"We need to get this done. And I expect that it's going to get done before Congress leaves. Otherwise, Congress may not be leaving and we can all spend Christmas here together."Apparently, Congress will be adjourning to Hawaii, because the White House announced tonight that Barack Obama will take a 17 day vacation in Hawaii over the holidays. Can't let a payroll tax extension get in the way of a few rounds on the links. Nice work if you can get it. [Big Government, 12/3/11, emphasis in original]
For more on right-wing media attacking Obama over his Christmas vacation, SEE HERE.
THANKSGIVING
Fox's Todd Starnes: "Obama Leaves God Out of Thanksgiving Address." In a November 24 post on his Fox News Radio site, Todd Starnes complained that Obama "did not include any reference to God" during his Thanksgiving address and that Obama's remarks "were void of any religious references although Thanksgiving is a holiday traditionally steeped in giving thanks and praise to God." [Fox News Radio, 11/24/11]
Limbaugh: Obama "Try[ing] To Hijack Thanksgiving Week With A State Dinner." During the November 24, 2009, broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show, host Rush Limbaugh asked, "Do you ever remember a big, White House state dinner during Thanksgiving week?" He then claimed that Obama was "try[ing] to hijack Thanksgiving week with a state dinner." [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/24/09, via Media Matters]
VETERANS DAY
2011: Drudge: "Obama Late For Wreath-Laying Ceremony At Arlington Nat'l Cemetery." On November 11, the Drudge Report claimed that Obama was "late for [the] wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery." From Drudge:
[Drudge Report, 11/11/11]
2011: Hoft: "Good Grief. Obama Arrives Late At Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier?" In a November 11 blog post, Hoft, citing Drudge Report, claimed that "Barack Obama was late at the Tomb of the Unknown today in Washington. Unbelievable." [The Gateway Pundit, 11/11/11]
2010: NY Post Claimed, "Bam AWOL On Vets Day." In a November 11, 2010, New York Postcolumn, Charles Hurt wrote that Obama "honored our veterans from afar by laying a wreath during a ceremony at an army base in South Korea." He then claimed:
That is a distance from here matched only by the chasm that has opened up between him and the voters who elected him two years ago.This aloofness of his really is becoming a problem. [New York Post, 11/11/10]
MEMORIAL DAY
Beck: Obama "Has Decided Not To Honor Our Troops On Memorial Day." During the May 26, 2010, broadcast of his Premiere Radio Networks show, Glenn Beck claimed:
BECK: The president has decided not to honor our troops on Memorial Day and go to -- can you find out the last president that decided to take a vacation and then go to a Paul McCartney -- come back for a Paul McCartney concert, but not for the laying of a wreath on Memorial Day? Maybe this has happened before. I don't recall it. [Premiere Radio Networks,The Glenn Beck Show, 5/26/10, via Media Matters]
Malkin Contributor Doug Powers: "Boy, I'm Starting To Think That West Point Speech Wasn't From The Heart." In a May 25, 2010, post on Michelle Malkin's website, Doug Powers wrote:
President Obama went to Arlington Cemetery to lay the wreath last year, but this year Obama's handing the wreath to Plugs [Vice President Biden] and heading off to the more welcoming political climes of Chicago.[...]Obama will however make it back to Washington in time next week to honor Paul McCartney, who has sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy.
EASTER
Kilmeade: "President Obama's Plan To Make [Easter] Energy Efficient. Are You Kidding Me?"During the March 30 broadcast of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade teased a segment by saying:
KILMEADE: Coming up straight ahead in the next hour, nothing says Easter like a green egg. President Obama's plan to make the holiday energy efficient. Are you kidding me? Laura Ingraham at the top of the hour with her opinion. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 3/30/11, via Media Matters]
Hannity Guest: Obama's Not Issuing An Easter Proclamation "Le[ft] People Thinking That He Is Either Hostile Or Indifferent." During the April 25 broadcast of Fox News' Hannity, guest and Republican strategist Nancy Pfotenhauer said that Obama's failure to issue an Easter proclamation was "[a] mistake, a political error of such magnitude that it almost defies explanation. I mean, it leaves people thinking that he is either hostile or indifferent." [Fox News, Hannity, 4/26/11, via Media Matters]
RAMADAN
Fox & Friends: Obama Did "Nothing Big" For Christianity's "Most Sacred Holiday," But Issued A "Lovely Statement Regarding Ramadan." During the August 11 broadcast of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-hosts Steve Doocy and Gretchen Carlson, as well as guest host Peter Johnson Jr., attacked Obama's statement honoring the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. During the segment, Carlson claimed:
CARLSON: OK, and some people said they might have an issue with the fact that he didn't issue a proclamation for Easter. So some people are saying, is this an outreach to the Muslim world, and why isn't there outreach to the Christian world. [Fox News, Fox & Friends,8/2/11, via Media Matters]
For more on Obama's statement regarding Ramadan and "proclamations," SEE HERE.
HALLOWEEN
Hoft: "Obama Goes Trick-Or-Treating ... They Handed Out Fruit." In a Gateway Pundit post titled, "288,000 Lose Power in Earliest Snowstorm in a Century... Obama Goes Trick-or-Treating," Hoft wrote:
An historic early season snow hit the New England area today knocking out power to at least 288,000 homes. It is the earliest snow in New York City since the Civil War.Meanwhile... Obama went trick-or-treating.[...]They handed out fruit. [Gateway Pundit, 10/29/11, emphasis original]
Drudge: "Treat Or Trick: Obamas Pass Out Halloween -- 'Fruit'?..." An October 30 Drudge Report headline read:
[Drudge Report, 10/30/11]
For more on Obama's celebration of Halloween, SEE HERE.
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