Asleep The The Wheel: George W. Bush Spent More Than A Third of His Two Terms On Vacation

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:51 PM EST

Article Source: CBS News

politics, bush, republican, gop, george-w-bush, vacation, camp-david, crawford-texas

Yes, that's 487 days. And Camp David is not even where the president has spent the most time when not at the White House: Knoller reports that Mr. Bush has made 77 visits to his ranch in Crawford during his presidency, and spent all or part of 490 days there.

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2.3

{"commentId":4876154,"authorDomain":"killfile"}

Killfile

Given how little time he actually spent doing his job it's a wonder he managed to screw it up so badly.

{"commentId":4876154,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"killfile"}

16 votes

#1 - Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:52 PM EST

{"commentId":4879599,"authorDomain":"angela593"}

angela593

Killfile- fun articles, thought provoking, too. He must have been a good delegater.(sp?)

LOL.

{"commentId":4879599,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"angela593"}

1 vote

#1.1 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:33 AM EST

{"commentId":4876766,"authorDomain":"debmark"}

debmo-571638

Actually, we should be grateful he spent so much time out of the office. Can you imagine the mess we would have if Bush wasn't a slacker? I'm not sure the country could have handled many more of his "free market", "patriotic" policies.

{"commentId":4876766,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"debmark"}

8 votes

#2 - Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:54 PM EST

{"commentId":4876956,"authorDomain":"mardigras306"}

Jackie-355788

He was a C student, an F president , he's been skipping responsibility from day one... it helps to have his rich Daddy paving the way... We have scraped the bottom of the white man's barrel with this one so from now on, lets have a black man, a woman, a Hispanic and Asian president.... I'm white by the way..and he is an embarrassment.

{"commentId":4876956,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"mardigras306"}

7 votes

#3 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:12 AM EST

{"commentId":4877150,"authorDomain":"bernhardmeck"}

Bernhard Meck

There was a solid budget surplus when George Walker Bush took his pledge 8 years ago. Now look at his voodoo economics gone bad. We will all be washing dishes for a long time to pay for this frat-brat's mess!

{"commentId":4877150,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"bernhardmeck"}

5 votes

#4 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:38 AM EST

{"commentId":4877163,"authorDomain":"kksfeather-1"}

landspirit

Now I know why the Republican Party picked Palin to run as VP. Intelligence and the ability to actually work are not considered as important qualifications. If Bush were Pres and Palin VP we would never see them and neither would have any idea of what they were supposed to do.

{"commentId":4877163,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"kksfeather-1"}

6 votes

#5 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:40 AM EST

{"commentId":4877228,"authorDomain":"jibade7"}

JoMan

And to think, I was just bashed, for criticizing both Palin and Bush on another thread. Shame on me. My logic is slipping. ??? I think not.

{"commentId":4877228,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"jibade7"}

1 vote

#5.1 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:48 AM EST

{"commentId":4877251,"authorDomain":"jibade7"}

JoMan

Here's what I think happened. Ten years ago Rove was sitting around with some GOP cronies and they were playing cards and drinking. During the talk they all started to brag about their accomplishments and what they could do. Rove finally piped up and said... "Aww, that's nothing - I could put a horses *ss in the White House for 8 years, no problem." And "ta dah" he did it. Jokes on us.

{"commentId":4877251,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"jibade7"}

4 votes

#6 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:51 AM EST

{"commentId":4877404,"authorDomain":"muskrat"}

Muskrat68

Unbelievable! The guy is nearly out of office and yet the Bush-Bashing continues! This CBS article can't be proven, yet you guys are buying into it...just because you don't like the guy. All presidents have worked in retreat homes. Personally, he spent too much money, had Kennedy write the education bill, and passed as many executive orders as Clinton did...Bush is no conservative. You would think the libs would have liked him more. He is a man with character but does NOT get my "good president" vote, based on facts, not hate.

{"commentId":4877404,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"muskrat"}

#7 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:12 AM EST

{"commentId":4877707,"authorDomain":"jimi"}

jimi

What makes you think we dislike him for any other reason than his record? Coming into office, he didn't seem all that bad. He had a boring first year, and post 9/11 he seemed to have his crap together. But the six years that followed that were an unmitigated disaster, the likes of which haven't been seen in decades, and the repurcusions of which we will be dealing with for years to come.

That said, the article has a basic math error (487/(8*365)=.16, or about 1/6th of the time, not 1/3).

{"commentId":4877707,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"jimi"}

2 votes

#7.1 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:15 AM EST

{"commentId":4877890,"authorDomain":"unbekannt1137"}

unbekannt1137

The 1/3 is not a math error. The 487 days is only counting time spent at Camp David which, as the article makes clear, is less than he spent at his ranch. 1/6 of his presidency spent vacationing at Camp David. Over 1/3 spent vacationing in total. As Killfile points out, think how screwed we would be if this tool had put in an honest day's work regularly for two terms. Yikes!

{"commentId":4877890,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"unbekannt1137"}

2 votes

#7.2 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:58 AM EST

{"commentId":4879299,"authorDomain":"killfile"}

Killfile

This CBS article can't be proven, yet you guys are buying into it...just because you don't like the guy

How can it not be proved? Bush's vacation time is a matter of public record, him being a public servant and all.

{"commentId":4879299,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"killfile"}

4 votes

#7.3 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:07 AM EST

{"commentId":4877916,"authorDomain":"Rixar13"}

Rixar13

I just don't think most people realize that George W. Bush spent more time on Vacation than any other President in History.

Given how little time he actually spent doing his job it's a wonder he managed to screw it up so badly.

I agree Killfile and perhaps it best that he spent the time on Vacation..?

{"commentId":4877916,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"Rixar13"}

3 votes

#8 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:05 AM EST

{"commentId":4878216,"authorDomain":"wgriffis"}

wade Griffis

I am personally greatful that bush spent so much time on vacation. Too bad, he did not sleep throuh the whole 8 years.

{"commentId":4878216,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"wgriffis"}

2 votes

#9 - Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:51 AM EST

{"commentId":5305719,"authorDomain":"bcmcknight77"}

Benny MC

You didnt even bother to include sports events and republican fundraisers. In the words of Peter from Office Space, I bet he did about 15 minutes of actual "work" each week.

{"commentId":5305719,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"bcmcknight77"}

#10 - Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:47 AM EST

{"commentId":6048053,"authorDomain":"ttwengland"}

Bill-857242

I'm really envious that you all were with Bush for eight years to confirm what he was doing at his ranch and camp david. I'm sure the president has to punch a clock to show when he's working and of course, he never gets calls after hours or on weekends.

{"commentId":6048053,"threadId":"474350","contentId":"2327714","authorDomain":"ttwengland"}

#11 - Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:45 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"474350","isPrivate":false}

KILLFILE

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Asleep The The Wheel: George W. Bush Spent More Than A Third of His Two Terms On Vacation

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