Maharaja Obama

Still Number One in Entourages! :: SteynOnline



by Mark Steyn  •  Dec 8, 2014 

I mentioned on Friday that America is now the world's runner-up:

It's Official: America Is Now No. 2
Chinese economy overtakes the US's to become the largest

Steyn in 2011:

I mentioned in this space a few weeks ago the IMF's calculation that China will become the planet's leading economic power by the year 2016. And I added that, if that proves correct, it means the fellow elected next November will be the last president of the United States to preside over the world's dominant economy. I thought that line might catch on. After all, we're always told that every election is the most critical consequential watershed election of all time, but this one actually would be: For the first time since Grover Cleveland's first term, America would be electing a global also-ran.

But the good news is we're still Number One when it comes to presidential entourages!

President Obama stayed only one night in Australia for the G-20 summit, but the entire presidential delegation required over 4,000 rooms costing in excess of $1.7 million for the entire stay.

To be precise, it was 4,096 rooms. But what's an extra 96 rooms when you're bulk-booking? Does that mean Obama took a 4,096-man delegation? Or is that bargain $1.7 million rate based on double occupancy and he took with him 8,192 indispensable government officials? Yeah, baby! That's what I call boots on the ground!

Normally, when a foreign power send 8,000 of its chaps into another country, it's called an invasion. But with America it's just the world's all-time biggest room-service tab.

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