Obama exploits kids over Christmass for political gain

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BO01L20101225?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews

Kids tracking Santa get Michelle Obama surprise

(Reuters) - Eight-year-old Juliana-Rose Hatcher had tracked Santa Claus all of Friday with the aid of NORAD's Santa hotline, before she got some unexpected help from Michelle Obama.

The first lady stayed behind when her husband, President Barack Obama, and daughters Sasha and Malia hit the beach on their Christmas vacation in Hawaii to answer calls from children trying to pinpoint Santa's whereabouts.

"She asked me what I wanted from Santa and I told her an MP3 player and she said her daughter wants an MP3 player too," Juliana, of Goose Creek, South Carolina, told Reuters.

Her mother Jennifer said at first they thought it was a joke or a prerecorded message but quickly realized "wow, it really, really is her."

The White House said the first lady spent about 40 minutes talking with children who called the line.

NORAD, a U.S. and Canadian military organization for aerospace and maritime defense, says it uses radar, satellites, high-speed digital cameras and fighter jets to track Santa.

[Kotin]

lame!!!!!!!!!

[Freedom 4 all]

Cute. They better not have wasted actual NORAD resources though.

[Golding]

Meh, I think it's a nice thing to do. She's just the first lady, so it's not like she's sacrificing time out of an important role to do this. And NORAD would be taking these calls anyway, so I question whether it's really wasting their resources in the grand scheme of things.

I dislike Obama as a president, but it doesn't mean everything he and his family do is inherently wrong.

[MelissaWV]

Meh, I think it's a nice thing to do. She's just the first lady, so it's not like she's sacrificing time out of an important role to do this. And NORAD would be taking these calls anyway, so I question whether it's really wasting their resources in the grand scheme of things.

I dislike Obama as a president, but it doesn't mean everything he and his family do is inherently wrong.

I would be bummed out if I called about Santa and got Mrs. Obama, personally, even as a little kid.

As for this being a use of NORAD resources... it sort of is, but it's so miniscule that I'll pick my battles elsewhere. The origins of why NORAD does this are at least a little cute.

[NYgs23]

I don't like it. It's more empire worship, an example of how the state wants to butt its nose into everything.

[RM918]

Doesn't bother me terribly, nice thing to do for the kids.

[Golding]

I would be bummed out if I called about Santa and got Mrs. Obama, personally, even as a little kid.

As for this being a use of NORAD resources... it sort of is, but it's so miniscule that I'll pick my battles elsewhere. The origins of why NORAD does this are at least a little cute.Seems to me like Mrs. Obama was basically doing the job of a NORAD employee that normally fields the kids' calls. As a kid, would you be looking more forward to a random guy answering your questions about Santa, or someone with name recognition answering your questions about Santa (or if you so please, anything else)? Fair point made by NYgs23 against "empire worship", but kids do frankly enjoy meeting people they hear so much about. I was pleased to meet John Kerry in 2004 while he campaigned at my school, even though I thought he's a crappy politician and didn't vote for him.

I think if we point out NORAD resources being used here, you really have to complain about their Santa Tracking stuff in general. I doubt Michelle Obama taking calls in an employee's place came with an additional price tag. In either case, you're right that the cost is negligible for concern.