AT A TIME WHEN AMERICANS ARE HURTING – AT 9:07 A.M. ET:  We're all for a vigorous foreign policy, but some things are ridiculous:

New Delhi: The White House will, of course, stay in Washington but the heart of the famous building will move to India when President Barack Obama lands in Mumbai on Saturday.

Communications set-up, nuclear button, a fleet of limousines and majority of the White House staff will be in India accompanying the President on this three-day visit that will cover Mumbai and Delhi.

He will also be protected by a fleet of 34 warships, including an aircraft carrier, which will patrol the sea lanes off the Mumbai coast during his two-day stay there beginning Saturday. The measure has been taken as Mumbai attack in 2008 took place from the sea.

Arrangements have been put in place for emergency evacuation, if needed...

...Around 800 rooms have been booked for the President and his entourage in Taj Hotel and Hyatt.

That's 800 rooms.  You read it correctly.

The estimated cost of this trip is $200-million a day. You read that right as well.  Two hundred million a day.

The lack of any common sense here is just appalling.  India is important, but a trip restricted to the capital would have been entirely appropriate.  And Indian leaders can be invited here.  To spend this kind of money at a time when we're in such debt will not improve our relations with the Indian people.  Indeed, when Indians read of the cost, they might be just as revolted as we are.

Who is doing the planning?  Who is doing the thinking?  This follows close on Michele's exorbitantly expensive fling in Spain.  Didn't they learn from the reaction to that?

Two more years for this guy.  Two more years.

November 4, 2010