Obamas Do Paris, You Pay

From Joseph Williams at the Boston Globe:
So much for the Obama common touch. After whisking his wife to Manhattan for dinner and a Broadway show last weekend, President Obama is treating his family to a Paris vacation -- paid for, in part, by the taxpayers. The White House confirmed today that first lady Michelle Obama, their two daughters, and his mother-in-law will fly Friday to the City of Lights to join the president, who has scheduled meetings with French officials and will appear at a ceremony Saturday in Normandy marking the 65th anniversary of D-Day. Last year on the campaign trail, the Obamas prided themselves on staying close to the people. Much was made of Michelle Obama's down-to-earth J.Crew wardrobe, candidate Obama's off-the-rack suits, and the family's search for a "shelter dog" to satisfy the wishes of 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha for a puppy. Now, the French press is buzzing about whether the first family will dine at a posh restaurant atop the Eiffel Tower, what fashions the first lady will wear, and whether she'll outshine Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, her glamourous French counterpart. But the trip has raised eyebrows among government watchdog groups, particularly since it comes so soon after the Obama's pricey "date night" jaunt to New York -- the president called it fulfilling a campaign promise -- and in the midst of what Obama himself has called the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. One public interest group notes that the White House still hasn't disclosed expenses from the Manhattan trip -- estimated to be about $30,000 -- and argues that the public should get a full accounting of a "flashy" European vacation. Leslie Paige, a spokeswoman for Citizens Against Government Waste, said Obama has such a demanding job few would begrudge him some presidential perks -- as long as he doesn't completely indulge himself on the taxpayer's dime. The problem, she said, is Obama has not made his expenses public, and thus is failing to keep his pledge to run an open, transparent government.
I've never been to Paris? Have you?
I'd love to go some day but I don't think I'll be going any time soon with the economy the way it is.
Of course, it's always easier (and more fun) to go when someone else is paying your expenses.
Vive le taxpayers!