On Monday, CBS correspondent Richard Roth gave a glowing report on President and Michelle Obama in Paris: "The big tourist treat in Paris this weekend was for the tourists treated to a sight of the Obamas driving by. For the President and First Lady, the treat may have been a European reprise of their date night in New York a week ago."
Reporting for the Early Show, Roth also emphasized the idea that no
one in Paris was "inconvenienced" by the Obamas' visit: "Other tourists
at the Eiffel Tower Friday night were surprised when the First Lady and
the Obama girls turned up, but not much inconvenienced...And no
whining, at least certainly not in public, though what's to complain
about when the Pompidou Center's been opened, especially for a
presidential family viewing of modern art and the day's capped with a
bit of shopping at a Left Bank children's boutique."
Following Roth's report, fill-in co-host Debbye Turner Bell showed
how impressed she was with the President's romantic getaway, remarking:
"My husband's got a lot of explaining to do." Co-host Russ Mitchell
jokingly added: "If you're a guy and your name is not Barack Obama,
this is not good news. There's nothing good about this." Bell agreed:
"The bar has been raised." Later, weatherman Dave Price concluded: "No,
you know what? I think it's great. I said it before. You know, whether
it would be President Bush or another president, I think it's great.
You know, you try and have some semblance of a - of a relationship or a
family life."
Last week, the Early Show hosts similarly fawned [1]
over the Obamas' having a date night in New York City, while excusing
the cost to taxpayers. At that time, Price commented: "No, I mean - no,
he's the president. They - he has to have security. That's how he has
to travel. And you know what? He's entitled to have a night with his
wife."
Here is the full transcript of the Monday segment:
7:13AM TEASE:
DEBBYE TURNER BELL: And the Obamas take on the city of lights. We'll show you where they headed on their latest date night in Paris.
7:24AM TEASE:
HARRY SMITH: Also coming up this morning, we're going to talk about date night, Americans in Paris. The Obamas on a mini holiday.
7:30AM TEASE:
BELL: Also, from New York to Paris, the Obamas take date night overseas and over the top. We'll tell you about their latest night out.
7:36AM TEASE:
BELL: I had a date night last night with my husband. We went to the crab house. But the Obamas went to Paris.
SMITH: The Obamas weren't at the crab house?
BELL: Go figure.
DAVE PRICE: But you had all you can eat. They didn't.
BELL: I had fun until I heard about this. The Obamas mixing politics and romance in the city of lights.
7:39AM SEGMENT:
DEBBYE TURNER BELL: Ah, romance is always in the air in gay Paris. So the Obamas decided to keep the fires burning by going on another date night. CBS News correspondent Richard Roth is in Paris with more. Richard, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Another Date Night For The Obamas, First New York, Now Paris]
RICHARD ROTH: Good morning. Well, here's the situation. You've got an opportunity for a weekend family getaway to Paris in the springtime, before the weather turns foul. But there's a lot to squeeze into a very short period of time. So it becomes a trip that demands a few small adjustments. Other tourists at the Eiffel Tower Friday night were surprised when the First Lady and the Obama girls turned up, but not much inconvenienced. By the time the VIP motorcade showed up at Notre Dame cathedral the next day, though, the place had been mostly cleared of crowds. The first family lit a candle, listened to a children's choir and waved from a distance. The big tourist treat in Paris this weekend was for the tourists treated to a sight of the Obamas driving by. For the President and First Lady, the treat may have been a European reprise of their date night in New York a week ago. Here it was an almost quiet dinner at a typical Paris bistro. 'Lamb and beef for the first couple,' the waiter said. And to drink, 'just water,' he made a point of adding, 'no wine.' And no whining, at least certainly not in public, though what's to complain about when the Pompidou Center's been opened, especially for a presidential family viewing of modern art and the day's capped with a bit of shopping at a Left Bank children's boutique. Did I leave out lunch? That sounded like more of a dress-up affair at Ellysee Palace with President Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni. But President Obama had already left, he was flying back to Washington, in time for a Sunday round of golf. How was your weekend, Debbye?
[LAUGHTER]
BELL: I'm trying not to cry anymore. My husband's got a lot of explaining to do. Richard Roth on rough duty in Paris. Thanks, Richard.
RUSS MITCHELL: If you're a guy and your name is not Barack Obama, this is not good news. There's nothing good about this.
BELL: The bar has been raised. Where'd you take your wife on the last date night?
MITCHELL: Oh gosh, we went to Sizzler, I think.
[LAUGHTER]
MITCHELL: I'm just kidding.
DAVE PRICE: You know what? I like - I like Sizzler, although they're closing the one on Queens Boulevard.
BELL: This might explain why you're not married.
PRICE: Probably so, probably so. But ladies, that's what you could have to look forward.
BELL: A foreign language needs to be included in date night-
DAVE PRICE: No, you know what? I think it's great. I said it before. You know, whether it would be President Bush or another president, I think it's great. You know, you try and have some semblance of a - of a relationship or a family life. And I am - I am-
BELL: Are you incredulous, Harry?
PRICE: I am the one who can give advice.
SMITH: That's right, because he's the authority.
MITCHELL: I know. Wow. Take notes.
- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.