A presidential perk: a family-and-friends trip to the Beijing Olympics
Want to know the perks of the presidency? Here's one: taking a slew of family members and friends to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
As the president began a weekend visit with his parents at their home in Kennebunkport, Maine, the White House announced the official delegation representing the United States in Beijing. For Bush, it will be a very familiar group accompanying him.
All told, it's a party of 12 -- all family and friends:
The president, his wife, one of his daughters, his father, his sister, one of his three brothers, a sister-in-law, three buddies -- among them two Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity brothers at Yale and a friend and major fundraiser of nearly three decades -- and two of the friends' wives.
Hey, it's a family famous for enjoying a good sporting event.
For the cast of characters...
...Here is the White House announcement of the official delegation:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Kennebunkport, Maine)
___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release July 31, 2008
The President, Mrs. Laura Bush, and Miss Barbara Bush will attend the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, on August 8, 2008.
Members of the Presidential Delegation:
The Honorable George H.W. Bush, former President of the United States
The Honorable and Mrs. Clark T. Randt, Jr., United States Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin and Margaret Bush
Mrs. Doro Bush Koch
Mr. and Mrs. Roland and Lois Betts
Mr. Brad Freeman
# # #
-- James Gerstenzang
Photo: Jim Cole / Associated Press
Why does Bush get away with every unethical and/or illegal thing he does? Why do American taxpayers have to pay for his and his families fun? He thinks he is above having to play by the rules and I guess he is. Ethics and rules are for shmucks like us.
Posted by: Agi Arnold | July 31, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Who's paying for this group?
But, most important, how do they get away with this - over and over and over and over and over ad nauseum...
Is the Congressional oversight still that frightened of them?
Posted by: Ellis Chase | August 01, 2008 at 08:14 AM