'Should he be on Vacation?'

August 25th, 2005 3:40 AM

That's the title you will see on the mainpage of AOL News section if you are one of AOL's 21+ million subscribers. AOL, a Time Warner Company (which notably also runs CNN), suggests that Bush is on nothing more than a vacation, even opting out on using the more popular "working vacation" title. Rick Moore previously pointed out the highly suspect questions asked of AOL subscribers.

AOL Headline: "Should He be on Vacation?"

Body: "President Bush's vacation is a polarizing issue. Some complain it's too long. Others say he shouldn't take time off during a war. Still others say he deserves a break. As this debate continues -- along with Bush's vacation -- see what others say and give us your take."

Also highlighted are four quotes from "experts" of different fields, and apparantly of presidential vacations.

Jaime Regalado of California State University: "Americans are seeing the President on vacation when the rising number of... deaths is bringing the war all too close to home."

Jim Bird, Website CEO: "When I see [Bush] walking around his ranch, I feel comforted that I'm in better hands than if he wasn't doing that."

Rick Shenkman, presidential historian: "We're the hardest working people in the world, and we have a president who seems to [be]... taking French bankers' vacation.

The only slightly positive comment from Barbara Kellerman of Harvard: "It's somehwhat unfair to accuse a president who generally works very hard... for taking five weeks off. It's not as if [he's] sitting on a recliner." (Link: Where Available)

<i>Dustin Hawkins is a columnist, social commentator, and all around nice guy.</i>