Only at MSNBC would you see a segment entitled “by the numbers” that left out the most important figure: the price tag to the American taxpayer. Such was the case on Monday morning, with MSNBC Live host Thomas Roberts gushing over the different activities the President Obama and his family participated in during their Christmas vacation in Hawaii.
The “numbers” Roberts referred to was not the cost of the trip, but rather the number of times Obama and his family enjoyed time on the golf course or swimming [See video after jump. MP3 audio here.]:
President Obama played five rounds of golf with seven different partners. The Obamas went out to dinner four different times. And the first family spent two afternoons on the beach. And President Obama spent one father/daughter afternoon with Malia and Sasha.
For the record, the president's Christmas vacation in Hawaii cost taxpayers about $4 million. The price tag, as calculated by the Hawaii Reporter, includes the price of a round trip flight on Air Force One, the transport of the President’s support equipment, housing of security and staff and the cost of police protection to local taxpayers.
See relevant transcript below.
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
January 7, 2013
11:48 a.m. EST
THOMAS ROBERTS: And a look at the first family's Hawaiian vacation by the numbers. President Obama played five rounds of golf with seven different partners. The Obamas went out to dinner four different times. And the first family spent two afternoons on the beach. And President Obama spent one father/daughter afternoon with Malia and Sasha.
