Proud Tiger 4,261 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 So much for the darling of the left. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/10/obama-white-houses-lavish-gifts-from-foreign-friends-revealed.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,506 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 More like "so much for this being a story of any importance." Quote Obama White House's lavish gifts from foreign friends revealed Paulina Dedaj 3 hours ago Federal documents revealed that President Barack Obama, his family and a top official received gifts from the Cuban government and other foreign friends during his final two years in office. Cuban cigars and rum, sculptures decorated in gold, precious gems and even jewelry adorned in diamonds and rubies — all of them among the many lavish gifts the Obama family and administration officials received from foreign governments while President Barack Obama was in office. In most cases, the Obamas and other officials handed over the gifts to the National Archives. Federal documents released on Wednesday revealed the gifts during Obama’s final two years in office included more than $2,000 worth of cigars, rum and other famous consumer products from the Cuban government. Cuba gave the gifts after Obama attempted to ease tensions with the communist regime, a measure that included the easing of the U.S. ban on imported Cuban liquor and tobacco. The documents released by the State Department’s Protocol Office revealed that Castro gave Obama 205 cigars of an unnamed brand, a humidor and cigar cutter along with the bottle of rum in 2015. The tobacco and liquor were accompanied by a carved wooden bust of Abraham Lincoln. Obama’s deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, meanwhile, received cigars, jewelry and a music CD — a gift package worth $670. The Obama family was given two Argentine national football team jerseys signed by star Lionel Messi that were valued at $1,700. (File) Government officials are allowed to accept presents from foreign leaders and governments if refusing them would cause embarrassment. But they generally must turn them over to the National Archives if the goods are worth more than a modest amount. Officials also could reimburse the government for their value. According to the State Department’s documents, Obama and Rhodes turned over the cigars and rum to the Secret Service and the Archives. In 2016, Castro gave First Lady Michelle Obama a white linen dress and a large decorated ceramic plate worth an estimated $1,190. The Obamas’ two daughters also received linen dresses from Castro, two prints and a Cuban music collection on CD valued at $1,164. Among other unusual gifts given to Obama by foreign leaders during his final year in office were a gold and silver sculpture of a Bedouin group decorated with precious gems, and a silver tone letter opener and pen worth $56,720 from Saudi King Salman. In addition, the president got a black electric bicycle worth $1,499 from the president of Argentina, who also gave the first family two Argentine national football team jerseys signed by star Lionel Messi that were valued at $1,700. The most expensive single gift reported in 2016, however, came from the king of Morocco. He presented the first family with an ornate gold-plated brooch adorned with diamonds and rubies, a gold clutch with an emerald and diamond clasp, diamond earrings and gold teardrop earrings with diamonds and emeralds. Those were estimated to be worth $101,200, and were turned over to the National Archives, according to the documents. Expensive alcohol and tobacco products seemed to be the gifts of choice for U.S. officials, particularly those in the intelligence community. Former CIA director John Brennan reported getting a $4,000 bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac, a $1,800 bottle of Siglo Rum and an unspecified number of cigars worth $500. The documents say those were turned over to the General Services Administration. An unnamed official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence received a similar bottle of $4,000 Remy Martin cognac. Curiously, the documents say the liquor was “retained for official use.” I mean honestly. It's a deceptive headline when you know that the vast majority of the stuff - anything over a modest amount - was handed over to the National Archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HVAU 673 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 17 hours ago, TitanTiger said: mean honestly. It's a deceptive headline when you know that the vast majority of the stuff - anything over a modest amount - was handed over to the National Archives. Proudtiger threads need vetting before they're permitted on the Politically Speaking board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud Tiger 4,261 Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 22 hours ago, TitanTiger said: More like "so much for this being a story of any importance." I mean honestly. It's a deceptive headline when you know that the vast majority of the stuff - anything over a modest amount - was handed over to the National Archives. But he accepted ALL those gifts first. And how do you know he turned all of them over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,506 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 1 hour ago, Proud Tiger said: But he accepted ALL those gifts first. And how do you know he turned all of them over. All presidents accept the gifts. It's what you do because it's polite. There's even an acknowledgement of the importance of keeping some gifts if it would cause embarrassment to the country giving it. As far as turning the gifts over, the story basically said he did. And it's the law and the story is careful not to say that he kept any gifts he wasn't supposed to. If they'd had any evidence whatsoever that had happened, they'd have trumpeted it from here to Katmandu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 12,974 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 23 hours ago, TitanTiger said: More like "so much for this being a story of any importance." I mean honestly. It's a deceptive headline when you know that the vast majority of the stuff - anything over a modest amount - was handed over to the National Archives. I remember similar stories about previous Presidents and I’m sure Trump is getting them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homersapien 11,409 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 3 hours ago, Proud Tiger said: But he accepted ALL those gifts first. And how do you know he turned all of them over. This guy worked for NASA?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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