Washington Times political reporter Joseph Curl reflected on the days he worked as a White House correspondent under a more unselfish president.
Curl re-published a column from last December as a reminder of the contrast between President Obama and George W. Bush, whom he fondly remembers as “Santa,” for being so considerate to the hundreds of people affected by his every move.
But here’s the thing: In December, we never left Washington, D.C., until the day after Christmas. Never. Mr. Bush and his wife, Laura, would always depart the White House a few days before the holiday and hunker down at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. After a few years, I asked a low-level White House staffer why.
I still remember what she said: “So all of us can be with our families on Christmas.”
It was no small thing to Curl, who was in his 30s with 2 small children, 6 and 8.
If reporters were stuck on duty during the season, Bush offered an affordable way for families to be together by charging only $100 per family member for travel on a dedicated press plane, Curl said.
But the one-day delay on Christmas week was a gift Curl says he will never, ever forget.
“I was home for eight Christmas mornings, playing Santa, stoking the fire, mixing up hot chocolates,” he said.
Not surprisingly, the narcissist that America elected into office to follow Bush didn’t see the importance of the tradition. Here is how Curl put it:
All that has changed with President Obama. No more press plane, for one. Reporters are on their own — so taking family is, say, $1,000 a pop. Not likely. And this president would never delay his trip to his island getaway. He’s off every year well before Christmas. Hundreds and hundreds head off with him, leaving family behind.
No Christmas at home. Instead, the Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Nice, but not exactly home.
Lots of things have changed. I’ll bet even the libs are missing Bush right now.
Read Curl’s touching “thank-you” to Bush, HERE.
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