The reporting on New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's latest gaffe has been, in a word, strange. Every where you see the story of the Republican riding in a state-owned helicopter to his son's baseball game, you also see reports that Democrats are having a field day with this news story. Well, DUH.
Christie is a Republican who spends a lot of time talking about fiscal responsibility and he, repeat after me, used a publicly owned $12.5 million vehicle to fly to and from his son's baseball game and still get back to the governor's mansion in Princeton and meet with some donors putting up money for a 2016 presidential bid. Of COURSE the Dems are all over this like butter on toast.
What's so strange about this? Well, golly gee, y'all, where are the Republicans? To hear them tell it, they're uber concerned about our President and First Lady and how much time they spend off gallivanting on the public dime.
A few months ago, Sean Hannity told us President Obama was taking a "vacation" to play golf in Brazil using our money. Of course he was really there to meet the Brazilian president and deal with maters of international diplomacy, but thanks goodness for those right wingers! Always looking out!
Then there's the "spendapalooza" that right-wing blogger Michelle Malkin dubbed the Obama's actual vacation on Martha's Vineyard back in 2009. The Obamas, Malkin admitted, were footing part of the bill, but Americans would have to pay for the family's security detail and some of the staff. Which, come to think of it, happens even if the first family stays home at the White House.
And of COURSE, who can forget the "makes me want to take a shower" allegations from Rush Limbaugh that we libs only let Michelle Obama take a lavish vacation to Spain "on our dime" as slave reparations? I'd LIKE to forget that one, but let's clear it up fast -- Michelle Obama paid her own way. We paid for her security detail, but hers is modest in comparison to her husband and even past first families.
So we've had a whole lot of blown up nonsense. And then we've got Chris Christie. Big man with big talk. Who rode in a helicopter that cost the State of New Jersey $12.5 million. And he used it to ride to his kid's baseball game!!
My question isn't where are the Democrats. I want to know: when are the Republicans coming out to have a field day with one of their own?
Image via Bob Jagendorf/Flickr