On the road listening to a bit of talk radio, I heard some lady substituting for Sean Hannity, leading the show with complaints about how much vacation time Obama has taken compared to other presidents.

I realize it is a challenge to fill so many hours of air time with interesting and pertinent news and perspectives, but is this at all important?  I even realize that Michelle’s staff is much bigger than Laura Bush’s, and that this president has take many more vacations and much more expensive vacations, and I even agree that in a time of high unemployment that this is less than stellar leadership.

But would any conservative care about his vacations if he supported sounder economic policies, and a less intrusive government?

We spoke of the ‘Bush derangement syndrome’ when criticism of the previous president crossed the line from legitimate criticism to cynical and vicious character assassination.  We see some of this again with a level of anger directed at Sarah Palin that far surpasses normally acceptable political discourse.  Much of the content of attacks on Obama is falling into similar unproductive rhetoric.

Eleanor Roosevelt noted, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

Let’s stay focused on ideas.  There are enough bad ideas out there that need correcting that we do not need to distract or shrink our thinking.

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