Media Hypocrisy Alert: Inauguration Cost up 400% from 2005

Media criticism of the "extravagant" cost of George W. Bush's 2005 inauguration may have not been entirely off base. I mean, even buoyed by a strong economy and largely paid for by donors, a $40 million party seems a bit much. I suspect that any fiscal conservative would wince a little at the thought, and listen to the shrill criticism of the left and shrug and say,"Yeah, it's a lot of money."

So of course the media is apoplectic about the $150 million price tag on the coronation inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama. Right? And the New York Times and AP, big critics of the Bush '05 bash, are leading the way and voicing their concerns about such a vast sum spent celebrating a man who's new tagline is that we all have to sacrifice to pay for his promised trillion dollar budgets as far as the eye can see, right? Not exactly.

In 2005, ABC led with,

"On World News Tonight/Sunday, President Bush prepares for his second inauguration. In a time of war and natural disaster, is it time for a lavish celebration?"

Eric Boehlert at Salon complained about the security, calling it,

"a buildup that clearly plays to Bush's political advantage by keeping terrorist threats at the top of people's minds."

And the AP, as per Newsbusters:

President Bush’s second inauguration will cost tens of millions of dollars — $40 million alone in private donations for the balls, parade and other invitation-only parties. With that kind of money, what could you buy?
■ 200 armored Humvees with the best armor for troops in Iraq.

■ Vaccinations and preventive health care for 22 million children in regions devastated by the tsunami.

■ A down payment on the nation’s deficit, which hit a record-breaking $412 billion last year....

The questions have come from Bush supporters and opponents: Do we need to spend this money on what seems so extravagant?

New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, a Democrat, suggested inaugural parties should be scaled back, citing as a precedent Roosevelt's inauguration during World War II.

"President Roosevelt held his 1945 inaugural at the White House, making a short speech and serving guests cold chicken salad and plain pound cake," according to a letter from Weiner and Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. "During World War I, President Wilson did not have any parties at his 1917 inaugural, saying that such festivities would be undignified."...

Just keep that in mind while the mainstream media blitzes us with scenes of the Obama triumph and celebrates the excesses in Washington at our expense.

Image from The Black Sphere