Obama dines at Nobu as latest Hawaii vacation pushes cost of first family's travel past $96 million

[superbeets]

[h=1]Obama dines at Nobu as latest Hawaii vacation pushes cost of first family's travel past $96 million[/h]

• President Barack Obama dined out with his family and friends at hip Honolulu Asian fusion restaurant Nobu on Wednesday night
• Obama received a round of applause from other guests as he walked through the restaurant, a video posted to Instagram shows
• The first family has been in Hawaii for nearly two weeks - they're parked there until after the New Year holiday
• A report published this afternoon puts the price tag of their travel over the last eight years at $96 million; report includes travel White House says was official
• The Obamas pay for their food and lodging out of pocket when they're on personal travel but the government picks up tap for flights and security
• President-elect Donald Trump's family trip to Florida for Thanksgiving cost taxpayers $7 million; he's there now with his family, too
• The city of New York is fuming about security costs to protect Trump Tower - they want the federal government to pick up the tab of $35 million

By FRANCESCA CHAMBERS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 20:31, 29 December 2016 | UPDATED: 00:52, 30 December 2016

 

[superbeets]

President Barack Obama dined out with his family and friends at hip Honolulu Asian fusion restaurant Nobu on Wednesday night.
Obama received a round of applause from other guests as he walked through the restaurant, a video posted to Instagram shows.
Earlier in the day Obama hit the gym and played a round of golf with his childhood companions. He spent the afternoon at the Shangri La Islamic arts center built by tobacco heiress and socialite Doris Duke.
The first family has been in Hawaii, enjoying their last taxpayer subsidized vacation, for nearly two weeks. They're parked there until after the New Year holiday.
A report published this afternoon puts the price tag of their travel over the last eight years at $96 million. It excluded most government business but included a trip to Cuba and Argentina the first family accompanied the president on in March.

+15


President Barack Obama dined out with his family and friends at hip Honolulu Asian fusion restaurant Nobu on Wednesday night

Obama received a round of applause from other guests as he walked through the restaurant, a video posted to Instragram shows

 

[superbeets]

In Argentina, the first family took a side trip to Bariloche go sightseeing after the president finished his White House meetings in Buenos Aires. They went on a walk of Old Havana in Cuba.
Flights and security cost $7,146,015.18, the watchdog organization that obtained the records, Judicial Watch, said.
The Obamas pay for their food and lodging out of pocket when they're on personal travel and ate out last night at celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa's Honolulu location.
Nobu was co-founded by Hollywood favorite Robert De Niro and has locations around the world in Los Angeles, London, New York, Malibu, Hong Kong, Milan and Bejing.
The restaurant boasts on its website that Titanic actress Kate Winslet rated its food 'heaven on earth and sex on a plate.'
Dishes on the menu include a 'Monkfish Pate with Caviar and Karashi Su-Miso Sauce,' 'Shaved Ice Ceviche' and 'Lobster Inaniwa Pasta.'
Sushi at Nobu sells for $5.75 a piece on average, not including the fish the restaurant lists at market price.
A crowd of more than 100 people gathered outside while the Obamas were eating last night, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Hawaiian-born president, who spent his afternoon on the green with high school buddies Greg Orme, Bobby Titcomb and Mike Ramos.

+15


President Barack Obama eats shaved ice while talking with his daughter Malia in Kailua, Hawaii, on Christmas Eve

+15


Obama's golfed six times since arriving in Hawaii on the evening of Dec. 16. He's worked at the gym several times, as well

+15


He last week treated his family to a meal at Vintage Cave, a pricey French-Japanese restaurant he took his wife to in 2015 on New Year's Da

+15


U.S. President Barack Obama waves goodbye after he and First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to U.S. Marines and personnel on Christmas day at Marine Corps Base Hawaii during his Christmas holiday vacation in Kailua, Hawaii, December 25, 2016. REUTERS/Hugh Gentry

+15


A woman rides her bike past a sign, thanking the Obamas, near the house where U.S. President Barack Obama and his family are staying during his Christmas holiday vacation

 

[superbeets]

Obama's golfed six times since arriving in Hawaii on the evening of Dec. 16. He's worked at the gym several times, as well. He last week treated his family to a meal at Vintage Cave, a pricey French-Japanese restaurant he took his wife to in 2015 on New Year's Day.
He turned his attention to work on Tuesday when he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a summit and delivered remarks at a ceremony at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.
According CBS News' Mark Knoller, who keeps close track of presidential vacations, Obama spent 217 days at holiday spots. That's less than half time George W. Bush spent at his Texas ranch, 490 days, McClatchy says.
The Republican president spent another 43 days at his family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Today conservative group Judicial Watch released its latest tab on the Obama family's taxpayer funded travel. It puts the price tag at $96 million for vacations, fundraising and political trips and anything else it deemed non-essential.
Included in the updated report is a trip the president took to North Carolina to campaign for Hillary Clinton. The Air Force's records say the afternoon trip cost $360,236.
Michelle Obama’s trip to Morocco, Spain and Liberia with daughters Sasha and Malia in June had a tab of $450,026.40, the record show. Obama promoted her Let Girls Learn initiative during the trip, putting it under the umbrella of official White House business.
In Morocco the Obamas attended an iftar at the King's Palace in Marrakesh hosted by the royal family that was also attended by actress Meryl Streep.
Flights to Martha's Vineyard for the Obama family's summer holiday had a price tag of $450,295.

+15


President Barack Obama, left, smiles after putting on the 18th green at Kapolei Golf Club last week. He's pictured with friends Bobby Titcomb and Darrell Harrington

+15


Costs for Obama's trip to Hawaii are still being calculated. Records obtained by Judicial Watch from last year's vacation suggest a ballpark cost of $4.8 million

• SHARE PICTURE

​

+15


BUIS-CATION: On Tuesday he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a summit and delivered remarks at a ceremony at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

 

[superbeets]

Costs for Obama's trip to Hawaii are still being calculated. Records obtained by Judicial Watch from last year's vacation suggest a ballpark cost of $4.8 million.
'Despite the security apparatus that accompanies any president when traveling, the administration works with the United States Secret Service to minimize the disruptions to local residents and businesses,' White House spokesman Eric Schultz told McClatchy.
'Honolulu is a place where the president can enjoy some downtime with his family and friends and he’s grateful for the warm hospitality he enjoys when there.'
Judicial Watch calculated that last year's flights to and from Washington had a price tag of $3,590,313.60.



Hotels and lodging, car rental costs for the Secret Service and airfare and rail services for the first family's protective detail pushed the cost up to $4.8 million.
Agents stayed at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Club, the Moana Surfrider on Waikiki Beach and the Ala Moana Hotel last year. The bill for their rooms was $1,000,458.63, Judicial Watch discovered.
They rented 103 cars from three rental agencies for $165,893.88. Department of Homeland Security records show them spending another $67,964.16 on flights and other travel.
'The Secret Service and the Air Force are being abused by unnecessary travel,' Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said. 'Unnecessary presidential travel for fundraising and luxury vacations on the taxpayers’ dime would be a good target for reform for the incoming Trump administration.'

+15





President Barack Obama and his family have spent more than $96 million globetrotting since they moved into the White House. Above is their Hawaiian vacation home

+15






The first family stays at the Hale Reena Estate, rental home of Hollywood stars Angeline Jolie, Bradley Cooper and Emily Blunt during their Hawaiian vacations

The first family stays at the Hale Reena Estate, rental home of Hollywood stars Angeline Jolie, Bradley Cooper and Emily Blunt during their Hawaiian vacations, too the Huffington Post says.
The Obamas payed an undisclosed price for the rental, but the Oahu property listed at $5,000 to $10,000 a night in the past.
Also unknown: the cost of the meals. The government doesn't pick up the tab for those items. It does pay for aides to tag along and other costs associated with the trips like drivers and the Coast Guard, a U.S. News report breaking down Obama's spending said.
President-elect Donald Trump's family trip to Florida for Thanksgiving cost taxpayers even more than the Obama family's Hawaiian trips. An Department of Homeland Security official told NBC News it cost $7 million.
Trump and his family are there now and plan to return to New York on Sunday.
New York City has complained that its costing its taxpayers $500,000 a day to protect Trump Tower. City officials expect the tab to reach $35 million by Inauguration Day. They want the federal government to pay the city back.
Taxpayers are paying an additional $2 million a day for the federal government to protect Trump and his 18-person family, an NBC report revealed last month.


Obama enjoys bike ride with daughters in Martha's Vineyard 2015

 

[superbeets]

+15





Flights to Martha's Vineyard for the Obama family's summer holiday had a price tag of $450,295. The Obamas are seen cycling on the island in 2014

+15





The first family stays at the Hale Reena Estate, rental home of Hollywood stars Angeline Jolie, Bradley Cooper and Emily Blunt during their Hawaiian vacations, too

• SHARE PICTURE

​

+15





The Obamas payed an undisclosed price for the rental, but the Oahu property listed at $5,000 to $10,000 a night in the past.

 

[superbeets]

+15





President Barack Obama's dogs Sunny (L) and Bo arrive to board Air Force One for travel to Massachusetts for the family's annual vacation at Martha's Vineyard in August

The billionaire has four adult children, three of whom are married with kids of their own, and a 10-year-old son, Barron.
Barron and Melania plan to stay in New York until the end of the school year, an additional cost to the city of New York, the federal government and taxpayers across America.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio encouraged Trump and his family to spend more time at their golf course in neighbor state New Jersey so his residents didn't have to foot so much of the secuirty bill.
The Obamas will reside in Washington, D.C. until their younger daughter graduates. The president and first lady will continue to receive Secret Service protection after Obama is no longer in the Oval Office, though they'll no longer have a government plane at their disposal.
They're planning to take another vacation immediately after Trump's inauguration.
President Obama told troops stationed in Hawaii on Christmas Day that he would continue to visit even after he's no longer president.
'We look forward to seeing you for many years to come because I understand that I still have a little bit of rank as ex-president, so I still get to use the gym on base and, of course, the golf course,' Obama told them.

 

[bobbyjones2]

its funny to me how lefties freaked out when w went to HIS ranch, but when this guy five stars it all over the world on tax payers dime, not a peep