Obama's $24,000 night out on the town...AND WE PAID FOR IT!

[festus]

By CHARLES HURT in DC and STEFANIE COHEN in NY
PLAY TIME: The Obamas leave the White House yesterday en route to an evening in the Big Apple.

PHOTOS: Obama's NYC Date

OBAMA KEEPS HIS BIG APPLE PLEDGE - New York Post

Two martinis, a swank restaurant, a Broadway show -- President Obama really knows how to treat a First Lady.

"I am taking my wife to New York City because I promised her during the campaign that I would take her to a Broadway show after it was all finished," the president said yesterday after touching down at JFK for an intimate night on the town.

PHOTOS: Obama's NYC Date

The first couple left their girls, Sasha and Malia, behind at the White House yesterday afternoon, taking two helicopters and a small Air Force jet to make their way to Manhattan.

The Obamas were dressed to the nines -- Michelle in a sleeveless, black cocktail dress adorned with fringe, a pair of low, strappy heels and a turquoise clutch; and the president in a dark suit and white shirt, no tie.

The first stop was a meal at low-key, but elegant, Greenwich Village restaurant Blue Hill, which boasts farm fresh, locally grown dishes.

The Obamas were tucked into an out-of-the- way corner table where they enjoyed a multi- course feast specially prepared by the chef. They washed down the fine fare with wine, said a fellow diner, who also no ticed Michelle re laxing with a cou ple of martinis.

Photographers were kept blocks away be hind barri cades for the first couple's privacy.

"We left them alone the entire night," said Blue Hill diner Rachael Levit, of Manhattan. "Nobody asked for autographs or took any pictures. They were laughing and talking and seemed like they had a genuinely good time."

But as the Obamas departed, the respectful diners, who had been screened by Secret Service personnel before they could enter the eatery, erupted into a round of applause.

Then it was up to Broadway, where they had tickets at the Belasco Theatre for "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," a play by August Wilson about a man coming to terms with the history of slavery.

"I'm nervous, excited, honored," said Andre Holland, who plays character Jeremy Furlow, before the show. "It's like in Shakespearean times, when the king would come to the show."

Although the play's up for a Best Revival Tony Award, the first couple got the biggest standing ovation of the night as theatergoers applauded and took photos of the dashing duo for 10 minutes before the show began.

The president gallantly guided his wife to their orchestra seats with his hand on the small of her back, while shaking hands with fellow theatergoers and smiling broadly. Due to security screenings, the curtain rose an hour late.

"I couldn't think for the first 10 minutes of the show because the president was sitting right to me," said seatmate Lloyd Lederkramer.

The Obamas weren't the only celebrities in the audience. Actress Meryl Streep sat a few rows ahead of them, and Olympia Dukakis was also on hand.

"I was very honored the president took a date night with his wife and chose to see our play," said leading actor Ernie Hudson. "We were all very honored."

The Obamas sent a note to the cast afterwards saying they loved the play and wished they could go backstage, but couldn't because of security, actor Michael Cummings, 13, said.

Taxpayers footed the bill for the big night on the town, which included a total of at least $24,000 for the three aircraft used to ferry the Obamas, aides and reporters to New York and back. Dinner costs and orchestra seat tickets -- at $96.50 apiece -- were paid by the Obamas.

Obama's jet, a Gulfstream 500, served as a more modest Air Force One for the day in place of the customary presidential Boeing 747.

The White House declined to say how much the trip was costing taxpayers.

Additional reporting by Beth Stebner, Frank Rosario, Irene Plagianos and Post Wire Services

churt@nypost.com

[Boomboy007]

While I abhor his policies and goals for my beloved United States, I must admit that I don't take much issue with this. Because he paid for his meal and tickets, the security costs really should be a responsibility of the office of the president (and, ultimately, the taxpayers).

Just because he was elected president (how I rue the day) doesn't mean that he has no right or expectation to take the ole' ball-and-chain out for dinner and a show.

I just don't think that people would have an issue with this kind of thing if it was their candidate who had won. Most of those costs (personnel) would be close to the same whether they stayed at home or not.

The one thing that I have never understood is why the White House ferries reporters around. I mean, it is New York. There are probably a couple of local reporters who could cover the story, no?

[Scarecrow]

the thing that pisses me off is that it is some one who is destroying our country and does not respect our rights as americans... using our taxes for his personal entertainment.

[Bohemian]

don't forget that every taxpayer in the U.S. paid for his recent campaign tour for Prince Harry Reid in Nevada last week, conservative estimates place the cost of the two Air Force One's (one's a decoy), related security and entertainment costs at 300,000...
which is about what it costs for the recent dumb ass fly-by over Manhattan, New York...

Apparently, much to the damage of our pocket books, the American Tax Payers, pay for 97% of the Presidents campaign efforts for re-election efforts of members of his party...
Which the DNC picks up the remaining 3%

So like it or not, live in Nevada or not, you just helped Prince Harry Reid raise over 2 million dollars for his upcoming re-election effort...

VOTE FREEDOM FIRST IN 2010, 2012!

Vote these bums out!

[HK4U]

Well lets see $96.50x2=$103.00 out of pocket for Obama.
$24,000 out of pocket for the tax payers.
That sounds about right.

[DarrellM5]

Although it's really expensive, this has been going on for a long time, with every recent president.

My crew was assigned to take 1 of 2 C-130 aircraft to Jackson Hole, Wyoming on a presidential support mission for Bush Sr. He was finishing up a 2 week vacation at Cheney's ranch. He flew into the airport on a helicopter, enjoyed a barbecue with some supporters at the airport and flew to Salt Lake City on the smaller Air Force 1 plane. Air Force 1 had to fly around Yellowstone for about an hour so we could load up the press and secret service vehicles and personnel and take them to Salt Lake City so they could set up security and film his arrival. At the time, the going rate for a C-130 and crew was $5,000 an hour. And we were out of Little Rock.

[gogriz91]

And Palin caught crap for a couple of expensive dresses?

Darrell, I remember when Clinton went to Jackson Hole, a C-130 crashed there not too long after killing the entire crew.

[rockwerks]

Dont forget Bushes hunting trips back to Texas for a weekend that took air force one and other aircraft and security to block off tracks of land etc. Every president in recent history has done the same thing. This Im afraid is an non issue.

[Bohemian]

Dont forget Bushes hunting trips back to Texas for a weekend that took air force one and other aircraft and security to block off tracks of land etc. Every president in recent history has done the same thing. This Im afraid is an non issue.

It is when the Usurper spent more money in his first 30 days in office then all previous governments did in their entirety combined, inflation adjusted...

Further, that before this transpired he did several major news media interviews where he stated, we are out of money, we must all stop spending money we do not have...

Also after he promised that we would not lose any money by giving billions to the banks and auto companies that could not be allowed to fail...
Also, after we lost ever fricking cent in the billions we gave Chrysler that has not even been paid for yet, subsequently followed by billions more to help them start over, and now we see an instant replay with G.M. (AKA: Government Motors)...

The Usurpers Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds...

I'LL KEEP MY GUNS, FREEDOM, & MONEY... YOU CAN KEEP THE "CHANGE!"

[rockwerks]

Bush is the one who originated the bank and auto bailouts................He was the first total screw up when it came to the economy.