Last weekend Broadway, this weekend Paris

Ahhh...another slow news day for The Globe. He's the freakin' President of the United States. Dress the part and enjoy it!

You ask for my thoughts? I think this article caters to the idiots out there who are looking for more reasons to spew their narrow minded views in public. I for one find it so refreshing to not be embarrassed by my President.

Michelle hasn't had the 'common touch' in quite a while - the $300+K job created for her disappeared the day after she resigned. The $550 sneakers for her 20hour gig at the food bank cinched, given that tens of thousands were out of work without any benefits whatsoever, and more added each day.

Sort of like Condi shopping at Feragamo (or however it's spelled) during Katrina. Maybe not totally wrong, but certainly more than a bit tone deaf.

Uh, Paris, Broadway and designer clothes? I know plenty of people who do/have those things that haven't "lost touch." This is a really annoying, stupid question.

You must be joking. Barack and Michelle Obama are the most loving, caring, articulate and down to earth couple to occupy the White House during my 64 years on this planet, even though I don't buy into all of the President's policies. Both are exceptional people. And the fact that they can maintain even a modicum of a personal and cultural relationship is an inspiration to all.

If this is "news" then goodbye Globe. Chatter. No substance.

I'm beginning to get the feeling your editor is breathing down your neck to dig up something to write about our President that's less than complimentary and this drivel is the best you can do. Considering how many times Sagebush George took off on Friday evening - Obama's vacations are miniscule.

For heaven's sake... I make $70k a year and I was able to afford a trip to NYC and a trip to Paris this year too. And you're acting like the POTUS should be living a more austere existence than me? Uh, not so much.

This kind of "reporting" is just sad...

Dumb story by the Globe.

You must have something better to write about...Don't you?

Resentment of Obama is growing. He solemnly tells us (continually) that 'Things will get worse before they get better' before turning on the smile and jetting off to some foreign country where can be assured of a rousing ovation. No sense meeting with 'normal American people;' He's only our President, for heaven's sake. I suppose if the haughty French guy can vacation at Lake Winnepesaukee, then our 'haughty' guy can go over to Paris. The big-eared cigarette smoker won't care a whit about the high unemployment and dead economy; after all, it supposedly gives him even more 'beholden voters.'

No wonder the Globe is on the brink of failure. This reporter must be one of those with the lifetime job guarantees

I'm proud of our President. I don't think he's pretentious.

Oh, please! The man is President of the United States -- he is not a beer-drinking t-shirt wearing yahoo and he's not supposed to be! He and his wife are Harvard lawyers -- HARVARD! NOT SUFFOLK! Leave them alone, you idiots.

I am so proud to be an American now. The Obamas are brilliant, hard working, classy, role models for all of us.

Who really cares where they go... Good luck to them... They deserve to have a fun weekend away and if they want to go to NY for a night why not... There's more important things to worry about then as to where President and Mrs Obama go on date night... A globe columnist commented on President Obama who wasn't wearing a tie when he went to Broadway with his suit, why is that a big deal and I'm from old school but if you notice when you go to restaurants we are wearing jeans and not shirts and ties it's a casual world we live in and that's fine by me...

How is the President of the United States supposed to dress when he's meeting foreign leaders, pray tell? Faded jeans and flip flops? He represents our country and he should be well-dressed. Who thought up this stupid topic?

get used to it!!!!! they tried to impeach clinton over his screwed up personal life yet bush commited atleast a dozen seriously impeachable offenses and no one IN A NEWSPAPER OR ANY FORM OF MEDIA NOTICED. LET ALONE A TRIAL. He lied about a war. lied about wmds, authorized torture, authorized suspending all of your rights, for that they will probably put him on the dime someday. ten years from now when everyone forgets how dredful bush really was, they will tell you he was the best president ever. but if Obama so much as goes to the bathroom they will tell you he should be impeached, that he is an awful president. Surely the media will tell you the Depression was his fault and he is the sole cause of global warming. Rush limbaugh will personally castrate him on pay per view.

The Obamas bring to mind the old saying-"No sense to try and polish a turd".
They are the biggest con since our Rhodes Scholar, "Slick Willy", had problems with the word "is".

He is an elitist are you kidding me?

Whoever says Michelle Obama is gorgeous needs to get their heads checked! Are you blind? She looks like Calibus (sp?) from Clash of the Titans! Get your eyes checked because you need prescriptions...strong ones!

This story is merely fodder for a message board on the web page. If it were anything other than fodder I would be astonished by the gall of the 'journalist' that wrote such a sensationalist piece of drivel. Really, this is absurd!

I really couldn't care less what the Obama family does. And what's with implying that a Broadway show isn't for "common" people. I go to a show a year, and I am far from loaded.

So much for a legitimate story here....

They went out to dinner and a show. The horror!

This is something that would appear in the Herald. Shame on you.

Perceptions are that because they are black they are poor. Actually, they are filthy rich and have so much that taking the little you have to help those less fortunate is an easy pitch. They are/will be multi millionaires and are on a track to take it all away from the middle class. The Globe loves this stuff, the Kennedy's, now the Obamas. I would not read the print edition of this paper even if you paid me to do so. Poor journalism. Highlighting movie star level social workers who are breaking down the hard working people of this country one legislative act after another.

When the Boston Globe goes under soon, you can point to drivel like this as the end of newspapers. Journalism is dead, long live teh stupid!

Yes.
I don't see how any prez cannot loose touch with the people to some degree. Anyone who thinks otherwise is in lala land and don't mean California.

attention anyone with common sence do u see what happens with limosine liberals like bho they tell us to drive smaller cars wear sweaters to bed while he stays at a 22,000 sq ft 1million a night suite at ceasers palace and then tonight he flys to new york just for date night with his wife all on the tax payer dime. wake up america the joke on everyone that voted for obama.

WOW......doesn't take much to stir the Liberals up to a rabid froth....keep up the good work Globe !!!!!!!!!!

Get used to it. It just like war, someone win and some lost.

is this the Herald???...cancel my subscription ASAP please, we just can't take it anymore.

Another reason the Globe is going out of business....how "common" can a president be? Im not sure I WANT my president to be common - and I guess if going to a broadway show or wearing clothes that has a label make you uncommon - then Im uncommon too...

slow news day, huh?

I always knew that all those things, ,,j crew wardrobe, black & white store, shelter dog, ect.were just nothing more than props for a campaign. They were always elitest phoneys and phoneys can only keep it going for so long. The truth emerges...like everything else. He will lose in 2012 and Romney will win. Mark my words.

I agree - the Obamas are entitled to do whatever they want and go wherever they want, but not on our dime when hundreds of thousands of us are jobless since his policies started taking effect. And where's the transparency - just how much did that little date to NY cost us? And how much is the family's little summer jaunt costing us?
Thank you, Boston Globe for telling us the truth - and judging from all these letters, a lot of people want to know.

with articles like this, it sure is hard to believe the Globe is in trouble, isn't it?

You know, it can be real tough reading teleprompters all day. Maybe Obama needs a little rest.

They are elitists, just like all liberals!

Give me a break, what a ridicules headline Do you want them to hang out at a junk yard?

What did you expect from a Marxist Dictator?

"It is particularly important for minority children to have them as a role model."
You can tell a liberal is losing an argument when they pull out old reliable, the race card....
Nancy Reagan was hounded mercilessly for supposed 'extravagance', but that was different, of course!

This is what passes for journalism?

ridiculous! this is gossip journalism in my opinion. no wonder why globe almost disappeared.

Uh no. Next.

Relax. He is showing us all how to spend the stimulus money he promised would lead us back to a solid economy. Why shouldn't he go to a Broadway show or skip off to Paris with his bride? He's been in the job for 5 months. He deserves the time off. They probably need the trip to Paris so they can finalize plans for the summer vacation to Martha's Vineyard. Oh you don't believe it? Google it. It's out there.

All you who voted for him...your medicine is coming...open wide

Come on now. Palin got half a mil for her wardrobe and she was only the POSSIBLE VP. Why shouldn't our first family be nicely dressed? And what is so wrong about taking in a Broadway show? I know plenty of people, some of whom I would NEVER EVER EVER consider to be highbrow or elite, who take in an occasional Broadway or off-Broadway play. Why can't our First Family go see a show? And of course they have to go in a government jet because of security issues, whether it's to Paris or to NYC.

let him enjoy his gorgeous wife!

Posted by Jonathan June 4, 09 08:34 PM

you must be kidding

It's George Bush's fault. No, Dick Cheney. I forget, what are we talking about?

They have both restored dignity to the office of President of the United States.

Sorry, peasants, RHIP (Rank Has Its Privileges).

MUST BE NICE TO HAVE A CAREFREE LIFE WITH NO WORRIES ABOUT PAYING YOUR MORTGAGE AND CAR PAYMENTS AND BILLS AND WONDERING IF YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGHT TO BUY GROCERIES. I DON'T BEGRUDE THEM , AND HE HAS WORKED FOR THIS, BUT LETS TONE IT DOWN A BIT

Yeah, they've lost touch. They travel around with their posse who all happen to be hard of hearing; they all wear hearing aids. They live in a huge house, take vacations, and have people serving them, hand and foot. They can't even go get a burger without bringing their posse along.
This article is inane. Aren't there better stories for you to cover?

Late breaking news, read all about it. President of the United States, the richest nation in the world, gets special treatment, takes wife to Broadway play and visits foreign countries!

Stop asking stupid questions like this. You wonder why your paper is in trouble!

I'm glad our President takes an occasional vacation and night on the town. He had to go to Paris on business -might be cheaper to take the family there than to go to Martha's Vineyard. We have certain expectations of our first family and how they will dress -let's quit seeing these absurd "news reports". They have to go places that provide enough privacy for protection. We didn't constantly hear about VP Cheney's trips to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Yes, first a $34,000 taxpayer ny broadway trip, then her haute coture gowns and new haircuts, - now a taxpayer funded trip to Paris. Yes, and all done in a recession almost as bad as great depression. NO CLASS. And just proving all their phoney baloney j.crew, dog shelter bs, is just that! BS. Props for a campaign. To do this is bad enough, to do this in this kind of recession where people are really hurting bad is unforgiveable. He will be voted out in 2012 and by Romney.

Sorry, but if you believed that they were truly common people to begin with, then I know a banker in Nigeria that wants to talk to you about transferring his $500 million fortune to your bank account.

Barack Obama and his staff have worked extremely hard since becoming elected. I don't see what's wrong with him taking his wife on a date every once in a while, even if it is to France. God knows he earned it. It's not like he can just waltz out the door and drive his car to the nearest restaurant on a whim without secret service.

Nobody would be asking this question if the Obama family were white

This is "Political Intelligence"??????

Good-bye Globe!!!

Oh, please. Slow news day, or what? No politicians taking bribes today? No shootings? This is an artificial news story if I've ever seen one. Shame on you.

Foon Rhee and Joeseph Williams should be carefully examined as to what personal or political agenda they are trying to push.

1. People voted for Obama because he was bright, intelligent, cultured, and attractive, unlike Bush and to some degree, unlike McCain. They sure didn't vote for him because of the clothes he wore.
2. There's simply no news value here, and it's also bad reporting. One source, only one, is quoted. The quotes don't even attempt to explain useful info.
3. Do Williams or Rhee actually think that _being_ President is the same as _running for President? Are they that focused on clothes to ignore actual politics? I don't give a hoot whether my President wears Prada or shops at Kmart. I do care that he's making solid, educated, wise decisions about the country's future and I am glad he's making an effort to visit other countries. I'm willing to put my tax money where my vote was, and I would certainly think it's justifiable to pay tax dollars to protect the President of the United States, whether he's on vacation or not.

Absolute rubbish. Front page? This is gossip column at best, and probably should have just been dropped in the Recycle bin. Mr. Rhee, Mr. Williams, and whoever edits the front page were clearly all wearing Bad Idea jeans this morning. Hopefully _they'll_ worry about their own clothes instead of picking on the President's.

How stupid is this question? They are the freaking President and First Lady. What should they do, go visit other countries in jeans and a t-shirt???

A Republican must have written this article ....

We've got for the first time in a long time a family in the White House who exemplify THE AMERICAN FAMILY ... AND OH BY THE WAY ... they are STILL THE First Lady and the President of the US!

Somebody find something else to write about because this subject HAS NO VALIDITY!

This is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen debated. Way to manufacture an argument Boston.com. Shameful.

This is pretty much a non-story, however noticing by the amount of "oh, find something else, Bush did this stuff too." type of responses, you can see how liberal our great liberal state of Massachusetts is. The Obama's can do nothing wrong, and if they do just pblame the previous regime. All show and no substance, I wish my job was that easy.

Meet the black boss, same as the old boss.

Stupid minority quotas ripping off mostly white Americans by being too extravagant. They're overly extravagant for the times.

Writers need to find something new and fresh to write about instead of criticizing every step made by this administration. This type of journalism and desperate and tacky. This article is ridiculous. We are talking about the presidential family....what is common about that?

You're kidding me right? This is news? I can not believe someone wasted their time to make up such a non important article. If I am not mistaken the picture on the previous page of The First Couple, Michelle does not have any visible jewelry. Most woman with money display wreaths of diamonds across their neck. She has a simple non flashy, VERY CLASSY and elegant dress. She could have very well picked up at Sacks, Bloomindales, Nieman Marcus or any other upscale DEPARTMENT store or a boutique. And I love that our handsome President takes time to wine and dine his gorgeous wife as if they were still courting. As far as the personal family trips I think the more the better. The man is THE PRESIDENT OF A COUNTRY, he does not have time to spend every night with his daughters tucking them in at night, watching movies, or just family time. So, if he wants to go on international trips with his family to have family time leave the man alone. He deserves to have some time of life outside politics. Especially, with young daughters who need their daddy.

I am not rich. I go to Broadway shows, I vacation in other countries (not Canada), and when in the mood I will occasionally eat at very expensive 5star restaurants. And I am still down to earth as always. I grocery shop at Super wal-mart. I am target 3 times out of the week, and my clothes come from the mall. You cant get more down to earth than that. I shop sale and clearance racks. Where you vacation and entertain yourself does not make you "down to earth." It makes you a person trying to enjoy different things. GO HEAD OBAMA FAMILY!!!!

p.s. if this was the McCains (thank God they are not in office) or any of the previous First Couples this article would not even be here. It would be expected of them to attend Broadway shows and visit different countries on a regular basis. And if anybody does not believe so, you must have been living under a rock.

Honestly folks, come on!

He's just a politician, nothing more, nothing less. He is not a man of change, of hope or even of color...he's a politician, sure the POTUSA, but a politician nonetheless, built, honed and finished by the Chicago Political Machine and placed in D.C. by the Washington Elite.

He has never been in-touch with anything having to do with the Great Unwashed.

The man who wrote this article needs to be out of a job.Period. My uncle used to say that White people hate to see successful Black people, and I wonder sometime if certain media outlets reflect this.

What an absurd question. First of all, to listen to the whining class (you know who you are, Republicans) complain when they stood in lock step with a buffoon who took well over a year's vacation in 8 years in office is beyond amusing. And the same right wing crowd has tried to canonize another buffoon (yeah, GOP, your dear Saint Ronnie) who liked to play cowboy dress-up. At least he didn't play flight suit dress-up, I suppose. As for Obama, well, just imagine that - he didn't take the bus to New York to take his wife to a show! You'd think he'd be able to master that faux cowboy, illiterate, inarticulate persona that won Bush so much popularity with the know-nothing right wing crowd. After all, who needs art and culture and all that other commie pinko stuff, right? Give me a break.

George W. & Laura took a night out on the town. Took AF 1 at the taxpayers expense. Took a helicopter to get them downtown - at the taxpayers expense. Rode in a Secret Service motorcade - at the taxpayers expense. Held up a performance for 45 min's pending their arrival. Did it all in reverse.

The media decrys such outrageous behavior.

Oh wait - it's the Obama's - how romantic!

The "common touch" - please - a couple of Ivy Leaguers whose only goal was to "make it" - to get what they thought they deserved.

Are they really that smart - that in touch?

Um...no. Not now. Never were.

Relax. He is showing us all how to spend the stimulus money he promised would lead us back to a solid economy. Why shouldn't he go to a Broadway show or skip off to Paris with his bride? He's been in the job for 5 months. He deserves the time off. They probably need the trip to Paris so they can finalize plans for the summer vacation to Martha's Vineyard. Oh you don't believe it? Google it. It's out there.

All you who voted for him...your medicine is coming...open wide

Hmmm...How would all of you respond to this exact same question if it were Bush doing the same thing?? What is that word I'm looking for...oh, what is it...thinking, thinking....oh yeah, Hypocrites!!

Give me a BREAK !!! The leader of this country has to conform to some reporter and EDITOR'S idea of what is appropriate. Maybe he should dress like joe shit the rag picker. Close the paper...put it out of its misery.

Is this really news? Can't we read about more important things like the Octomom and John and Kate plus Eight? Of course the Obama's aren't common people - they're elitist liberals.

We have and need world leaders in America! As citizens we want our leaders to do the job, looking the part, be the part. The job description for the Presidency is exceedingly demanding, and the pay is lousy compared to corporate America. It does not take a common person to be President. It is not a common situation to be President.
If anything Mr. Obama's personal story is common. His familywas split, he was raised by grandparents, and in the best American spirit improved his situation. Another American success story! Horatio Alger would be proud. Except that his stuff was fiction.

Wasting space with garbage like this is likely to cause me to reconsider spending $1.50 a day for your increasingly lousy newspaper. This kind of stuff is available free on the odious Entertainment Tonight.

Headline: "Have the Obamas lost the common touch?"

My reply: Have newspapers run out of Obama stories to run?

who said voters were wooed by his "down-to-earth" style? his oratical style is anything but down to earth, its lofty and uplifting and brilliant. i dont want my leader to be a guy i can have a beer with, i want him to be someone that is genuinely better than me in every way. this is stupid journalism

When did the Obamas ever have a "common touch"?

That said, using taxpayer money to fly a chopper on a hot date is really the least of our worries.

Why is Boston.com my home page again?

It is stuff like this that the media is forcing down your throat so you do not pay attention to what is going on. Obama is willing to sacrifice American business to save labor unions. Voter intimidation is going unpunished because of skin color. Washington is seeking to nationalize our banks, businesses and healthcare. American soldiers are being murdered in our own country without so much as a ripple from the media while butchers of children are lauded as heroes. Legitimate dissent is shouted down as racism.

Why does the Globe think it is hemorrhaging money? After decades of propping up the Kennedys maybe they can come with a sack of dirty money and instill their own ideas of "integrity".

I believe he has remained true to his origins, Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright.
Close your eyes and he sounds like a cleansed version of Wright.

Are you serious? I wonder why the Globe is almost closing its doors.
Don't you have anything more important to put on the center page? Am I reading People's or TMZ? This is Boston people, Harvard, MIT, lack of jobs, real estate falling down, Menino's election, Craigslist sex murder, trafficking, political scandals, 60 murders a year in one single area. Come up with better content. Your subscription is falling, turn things up again.

I firmly believe that this man has done more in 4 & a half months than anyone could have wished. The Obama family that resides at 1600 Penn. Ave, is the most down to earth, articulate & likable occupants that have lived at that address. His appearance in Cairo and anywhere else he visits & speaks will help bring this country back to where it once was in the eyes of the world.

By the way, to all of the posters claiming we need style and elegance in the Whitehouse...it is the most important job not an MTV reality show and style and elegance should never be a prerequisite. What is required, competence, courage and conviction. Bush may have lacked competence, but how can we expect Obama, who lacks courage and conviction for anything that is not socialist, to stand up to third world nuclear dealers and terrorists when he cannot even stand up to his own wife?

Give me a break...the Globe should be embarrassed by this kind of bad journalism! I would expect this from a tabloid!

President Obama is the President of the United States. He and his wife ( the first lady of the USA) represent this country. they are not country bumkins. they are educated upstanding americans and must represent this country all over the world. I for 1 am proud to be an American and proud of my president and his first lady!!!

People aren't "up in arms" that the Obamas are jet setting around the world. Every First Family travels, and should do so. People are upset because while this President condemns private companies using private jets HE takes a $30k (Plus the hidden security costs, etc) jet "on the public dime" up to NY for a play.

The "down-to-earth"-iness was made up by the MSM. They are not acting as elites, but rather as people who are well off and with a certain level of taste. Obama would look like an idiot if he would put on a baseball cap and start twanging his speech. That was the job of the former POTUS, who may have been a great guy to have a beer with, but who was phenomenally incompetent when it came to leadership. The Obamas, for my money, are just fine, though I do disagree with some of his policies... whereby they are not threatening the nation, as GWB's hallucinations did...

Any "average" family would take advantage of these opportunities. They are JUST like their constituents.

Oh please. Emily Roony is going to have fun with you guys for actually posting this story. Where are the reporters that actually wanted to write for the Boston Globe, as opposed to just reposting ludicrous gossip/blog stories on your front page?

Nice touch with the picture of the Obama's on a red carpet, almost like they, unlike any other head of the U.S. shouldn't deserve a red carpet. This story makes no sense. Boston Globe, please stop your infighting and resolve to work together to do your job... report the *news*. We will support you if you do... but... this is.. well... BS.

Is there really nothing going on in the world, or has Boston.com gone into competition with Fox and Enquirer?
Since when are degrees from Harvard and Princeton, exclusive private schools for one's children, and being part of the political establishment 'common'?

Its funny how the link to enter your comments says "your thoughts" when in fact they are going to be filtered by someone elses.....
Only in the new America.

Journalism does not exist in an intellectual vacuum; its an integral part of the whole Darwinistic Media --- to survive journalistically-speaking, you must compete with the many thousands of blogs, newspapers and micro-publishers a hyper-link away, taking away Globe readership. A software program must exist at the Boston Globe which calculates what story has the highest possibility of attention. Like any organism that needs to survive, the Globe ascertains the masses' instincts, and write about those -- not necessarily about the subject itself. THis story was written to elicit our own personal insecurities. The "real" story is the mob vote. The subtext of this article is ourselves.

Wow the lefties are out in force when the liberal watercarrying Boston Globe says anything remotely critical of their Dear Leader!

You morons, the honeymoon is over. Time to see this @ss for what he is - a hack. He spouts eloquent nothings all over the world and people fall for it. You fell for it. Shame one you.

Look, our system is winner takes all, get used to it.