Mr. Obama, Turn Down That Thermostat

Barack Obama apparently considers himself exempt from his "new era of responsibility."

I thought we were supposed to care about the planet and cut back on our energy use.

According to Obama, we're in the worst economic crisis of lives, but he cranks up the heat, REALLY cranks up the heat.

Who pays the heating bill for the Oval Office? Obama? Private donors?

No, we are.

I don't want my tax dollars and the planet's precious resources wasted on overheating the White House, MY house.

From the New York Times:

The capital flew into a bit of a tizzy when, on his first full day in the White House, President Obama was photographed in the Oval Office without his suit jacket. There was, however, a logical explanation: Mr. Obama, who hates the cold, had cranked up the thermostat.

“He’s from Hawaii, O.K.?” said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, who occupies the small but strategically located office next door to his boss. “He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”

Thus did an ironclad rule of the George W. Bush administration — coat and tie in the Oval Office at all times — fall by the wayside, only the first of many signs that a more informal culture is growing up in the White House under new management. Mr. Obama promised to bring change to Washington and he has — not just in substance, but in presidential style.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg is so gaga over Obama and the new administration that she apparently doesn't realize her hypocrisy.

What's this idiocy from Axelrod about excusing Obama's excess by saying Obama is from Hawaii? He hasn't lived in Hawaii for any of his adult life.

How long has Obama lived in Illinois?

Wasn't it just on Wednesday that Obama was teasing Washingtonians about their wimpiness when it comes to dealing with winter weather?

Yes, it was.

President Barack Obama didn't take long to insult the weakness of Washington when it comes to winter.

When snow and ice Wednesday forced the closure at Sasha and Malia's school, Sidwell Friends, the president took the opportunity to praise his family's courage over the Chicago cold.

"My children's school was canceled today, because of what, some ice?" Obama said during a photo opportunity with economic leaders, who began chuckling. "As my children pointed out, in Chicago, school is never canceled. In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you go out for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors."

Obama said he would have to instill "some flinty Chicago toughness" into Washingtonians.

"When it comes to the weather, folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things," he said.

So, Obama can tough it out and handle the cold EXCEPT in his Oval Office.

There must be some of Jimmy Carter's old cardigans around the White House. Obama should put on a sweater or keep his jacket on.

You're not in Hawaii anymore, Mr. Obama. Put on some clothes if you're cold.

This "liking it hot" is really lame, really hypocritical.

President Bush likes the heat, too, but he didn't turn the Oval Office into a sauna. If he had, Lefties and environmentalists would have had a fit.

Ed Morrissey points out Obama's stunning inconsistency:

Many people in America, especially where I live, would like to heat their homes to a comfort level where sweaters and coats become unnecessary. However, Obama and the Democrats want to impose ruinous taxes and penalties on energy production and fuel that produces carbon dioxide — a naturally-occurring element — and make that choice economically unbearable for us. In fact, candidate Obama spoke directly to that end in May of this year:

“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times … and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK,” Obama said.

“That’s not leadership. That’s not going to happen,” he added.

Video here.

Obama is setting a horrible example for the American people.

Talk about the height of irresponsibility! Again, to use Obama's own words, "It is shameful."



(h/t Michelle Malkin and Ed Morrissey)