July 2005: After a safari weekend, Laura Bush stepped out of a dusty SUV with her twin daughters on Monday to serve as a goodwill ambassador in Africa for President Bush.
The first lady’s whirl through South Africa, Tanzania and Rwanda this week comes on the heels of a Scotland summit where British Prime Minister Tony Blair made alleviating Africa’s mass suffering the top agenda item for Bush and leaders of other wealthy countries.
Mrs. Bush and her 23-year-old daughters, Barbara and Jenna, spent the weekend at the Madikwe Game Reserve on the South African-Botswana border….
The first lady’s staff asked photographers to refrain from shooting the twins as they boarded the plane in Gaborone, Botswana, for the flight to Cape Town, on grounds that they were not part of the official delegation.
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From what I’ve read, Laura Bush did some good work (eg see here) on her trips to Africa (she visited the continent five times and traveled in all to 10 different countries during Shrub’s reign, more visits than any other First Lady before her). Apart from a few voices, though, there weren’t too many complaints when she took her daughters to Africa, part of the 2005 trip a private safari.
Needless to say (yawn), the right are attacking Michelle Obama again because her trip to Africa will end with ….. a private safari.
I won’t link the site where I saw this discussed (one of the f**kwits there is posting racist photos in the thread), but I liked this exchange:
Question: Why were the right not outraged when Laura Bush took her daughters to Africa and they went on safari?
Answer: Because she’s white?
😉
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More on First Lady Michelle Obama’s African visit here
The Obama Diary 
Jovie says:
June 18, 2011 at 3:27 pm
You know what they are doing don’t you? They are going after the presidents base! The nutroots blamed the president for no dream act(Hispanics), west and smiley try to divide the African American base, Chris Matthews finished his show yesterday by saying the president has done nothing for women in politics, and John Stewart tries to dissuade the young voters!
Swift boat, swift boat, and swift boat!
BEWARE!
Matthews comments were very disappointing. He did not mention that President Obama appointed two women to the Supreme Court.
Perfect – and I’m sure there were no squeals demanding the cost of these two ADULT daughters travelling with their mother, and spending not just as afternoon on safari, like the Obamas, but an entire weekend? They sacrifice their freedom and anonymity – and I wouldn’t begrudge the Bush daughters enjoying the spoils of the Presidency, so I think it’s only right that the two little Obama children should also be rewarded for sacrificing their childhood and sharing their parents for the good of this country.
remember they both got drunk?
I almost don’t even begrudge them the drunkenness, either, since they were teenagers acting out. It wasn’t good, but not different from a lot of other teenagers. They both seem to have emerged from their teen years with more sense and respect for their fellow man than their father has.
yes I’ll give them that.My point is had Malia and Sasha done that they would be following these 2 girls like flies on a dead body
You’re absolutely right. I worry about the teen years to come and how ugly these animals in the media and on the right are going to get. The President said in his interview with GMA that Malia is the most emotionally intelligent of any person he knwos, adult or child. Which means she must be very attuned to the nonsense that is being written about her parents, and it must affect her. I hope and pray that those who have the power to hurt with their words can leave this poor child in peace while she goes through her teen years. That’s why I’ve softened my own criticism of the Bush teen years – can’t be easy being in that bubble and trying to work out your teen angst and exploration. We’ll all have to be pretty vocal about any ugliness we see, and make it clear that it’s not acceptable. The President called off the dogs when they tried to go after Bristol’s teen pregnancy – there won’t be an Obama out there to ask for the same respectful distance for his own children.
Nicely said theo,, children should always be off limits imo. They go after Malia or Sasha, I’ll certainly have plenty to say.
The Bush daughters actually turned out to be pretty great gals, decent, fair-minded and compassionate from all reports and everything I’ve seen and read. Non-Republicanish.
Good for the Bush daughters. But we always know there is a double standard when it comes to black folks. They will fine their way to go after the Obama children. That’s how much hate they have in their so call heart for this black man.
ding ding ding! 😉
This racism,yes RACISM in the media against this President in the media is outrageous. Laura Bush took her daughters to Africa five times, and not a word. Just tragic. And no one ever says a damned thing about it.
Maybe Laura Bush and her twins five trips to Africa didn’t cost the taxpayers. They paid for it themselves. B.S. Have a safe and enjoyable trip Obamas.
The Obamaa’ paid for the trip to Spain and there was still a whole lots of noise about that trip. If this trip is an official trip the taxpayers should pay for it as they do re all presidents and first ladies. I don’t think anyone has to worry about PBO abusing taxpayers’ money…notice he always pay for his food when he is out and about…he doesn’t want anyone accusing him of anything…I don’t blame him, since a pile of shit is always being dumped on him for one reason or another.
I wish i had twitter ( I don’t cause I don’t like social media, case in point, look how long it took me to start blogging) so that I could send this to Frackface Choi and his Nutroots Parasite Loser buddies, along with the message: Kindly stick this up your pipes and smoke it, losers.
Gallup: 90% of libs support prez:
http://pollingmatters.gallup.com/2011/06/little-change-in-liberal-democrats.html
ps- can’t wait to follow Miche on her trip. She’s gonna get some good work done 🙂
Update on afhanistan:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/world/asia/19afghanistan.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Any day now, we should be learning about that withdrawal. I hope the president chooses bidens advice and not hillarys or gates!
Yeah how could we miss it Laura Bush and twin daughters are white. How dare Michelle Obama and daughters go on a Safari.
BINGO.
I believe that Bachmann is wondering out loud “How much does THIS cost the taxpayers.?” She is an idiot.
Who cares what hatred these idots spew? Cant wait for the visit/pictures here on TOD. As for mwah, I am smilling ear to ear that Flotus and the First daughter are visiting my Homeland Africa.
Oh gosh everything is race eh!!!!!!! Stuepsss this racial war will never stop! Anyway I hope Malia and Sasha enjoy the safari.
Chipsticks, I’m looking forward to as much press as you can provide us of the Obama family (minus POTUS) trip to Africa! 😀
I told my man that it would be only a matter of minutes before the African trip was being attacked. I see I was right. Wish I wasn’t.
When I heard about the trip, I said the same thing MissMapleLeaf. I said just wait and see what is said. Remember the trip ti Spain last year by Mrs. Obama and her daughter Sasha. Wait to hear all the fake outrageous from the right. And probably some Dems also. Our economy is in such bad shape, people are without work, how dare Mrs. Obama go on a trip to Africa with her daughters. The truth is how dare that black woman go on a trip to Africa costing us taxpayers money? That’s what they want to say. I’m looking forward to the trip and to HELL with the folks who are trying to find something wrong.
I will not watch the news because last season they jump on the how dare she bandwagon also concerning the First Lady going to Spain. Never once saying anything about Laura Bush and the twins trip to Africa. I will come here to get my info. Thank goodness I can come here. Thank you Chipsticks, and everyone else who put this site together.
It is so sad that we must fight the racist attacks that continue to plague this administration. We have a President and First Lady who try constantly to do the right thing and they are barraged with nonsense. It’s a travesty. Both of them are always on the move with something positive for the country and some still just don’t get it. They are blinded my racist thoughts that mar their ability to see through their hang ups ; hang ups that continue to keep them in a state of blindness. When will they realize that we are all in this together and that regardless of whether President Obama is pink , yellow, red or blue he is the right man for the job at this time. After two years, it seems that anyone with an ounce of sense could see this. He is a good man with a good woman by his side and he is a smart man with a smart woman by his side. Those are the indisputable facts. We are blessed to have both of them.
Amen Gwen.
I am happy that the 1st lady and children are visiting South Africa, country of my birth as Well as Botswana..etc. She will experience the incredible beauty and warmth of its people..yes, the breathtaking beauty of SOUTHERN AFRICA reminds you of the blessings of the CREATOR…