Miles Bennett
Former President Donald Trump has criticized Barack Obama for golfing during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic. Obama played golf in April 2009, the same month that his wife, Michelle Obama, recorded a public service announcement urging residents of Washington, D.C., to stay home. The H1N1 pandemic caused an estimated 12,469 deaths from April 2009 through the following year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Obama played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency, while Trump spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course during his first term.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | April 2009 |
| Location | Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia |
| Timing | The day after PSAs were released, the same day as a national emergency was declared, and during the H1N1 crisis |
| Number of rounds | 98 |
| Comparison with Trump | Trump has spent more time golfing than Obama |
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What You'll Learn
Obama played golf during the H1N1 pandemic
Former US President Barack Obama has been criticized for playing golf during the H1N1 pandemic, which infected 60 million people and killed 12,000 in the US alone. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared H1N1 a global pandemic, and Obama was seen playing golf the same day. Obama did not declare H1N1 a national emergency until four months later, by which time a thousand Americans had died.
Obama was a member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, and was seen playing golf there on a Sunday in April 2009, the same month that his wife, Michelle Obama, recorded a public service announcement urging residents of Washington, D.C. to stay home. Obama's golfing during the H1N1 pandemic has been contrasted with his criticism of President Trump's golfing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has spent far more time playing golf than Obama did through the same point in his term.
Obama's actions during the H1N1 pandemic have been defended by some as an attempt to show people "not to panic." According to Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent, Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency. This is far fewer than Trump, who, according to Knoller, had spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course by the same point in his term.
The H1N1 pandemic occurred early in Obama's presidency, from 2009 to 2010, and led to an estimated 12,469 deaths in the US. Obama referenced top health officials in his response to the pandemic and stated that Biden "helped me manage" the outbreak. There were stumbles in the response, and Biden's former chief of staff, Ron Klain, remarked in 2019 that the outcomes could have been worse and were due to "luck" rather than "doing anything right."
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Trump criticised Obama for golfing during H1N1
Former US President Donald Trump criticised his predecessor Barack Obama for golfing during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, which infected 60 million people and killed 12,000 in the US. Trump accused Obama of downplaying the pandemic, which caused an average of 1,000 deaths a month. Obama took four months to declare a national emergency after the WHO announced a global pandemic.
Trump's criticism came in response to backlash over his own golfing habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has spent significantly more time golfing than Obama, with a bigger "carbon footprint". Trump has spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course, while Obama played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency.
Trump has also criticised Obama's handling of the H1N1 outbreak, calling it a "complete and total disaster". However, a poll average of two 2009 surveys found that two-thirds of Americans were confident in the government's response to the outbreak at the time. Obama himself has acknowledged that his administration's success in managing the outbreak was due to "luck".
While Trump accused Obama of golfing during a national health crisis, it is worth noting that Obama played golf the day after the PSAs were released, and the day after he declared a national emergency. Trump, on the other hand, went golfing as the COVID-19 death toll approached 100,000, and even after declaring a national emergency just two days after the WHO announcement, much quicker than Obama's response to H1N1.
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Obama's administration delayed declaring a national emergency
During the H1N1 pandemic, former US President Barack Obama was criticized for going golfing. Some sources claim that Obama went golfing the same day he declared a national emergency during the H1N1 outbreak. The H1N1 influenza pandemic lasted from 2009 to 2010 and resulted in 12,000 deaths in the US. Obama declared a national emergency four months after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic, and by that time, 1,000 Americans had already died.
Obama's administration's handling of the H1N1 pandemic has been scrutinized and compared to that of subsequent administrations. Critics argue that Obama's response to the crisis was inadequate, and that he failed to address the deadly disease effectively. There were also challenges in vaccine development and distribution, with shortages impacting the US.
Obama's actions during the H1N1 pandemic have been contrasted with those of President Trump, who declared a national emergency two days after the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. However, Trump faced criticism for golfing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his administration's response to the crisis has also been questioned.
The timing of Obama's golfing outing during the H1N1 pandemic and the delay in declaring a national emergency became a subject of debate, with some sources claiming that his actions indicated a lack of urgency or concern for the public health crisis. However, it is important to consider the context of the situation and the information available to the administration at the time when evaluating their response.
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Media bias: Obama received less criticism than Trump
Media bias has been a topic of discussion for years, with many believing that former President Barack Obama received less criticism from the media than former President Donald Trump. This is evident in the different ways the media covered both presidents' responses to national emergencies.
During the H1N1 pandemic, which infected 60 million people and killed 12,000 Americans, Obama was seen playing golf the same day he declared a national emergency. While some sources claim that Obama went golfing to show people "not to panic", the media did not criticise him for this. Instead, Obama was praised for his actions, with the media claiming that all was well as the former president was out golfing. This is in stark contrast to the media's coverage of Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, where he was "ruthlessly mocked" for declaring a national emergency just two days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic.
Obama's administration has also been criticised for deporting many more people in a single year than Trump has ever managed, yet the media did not highlight this issue during Obama's presidency. Instead, Obama was able to share veiled criticism of the Trump administration's immigration policies, claiming that his administration had protected young people who were "American in every single way but one: on paper".
The media's coverage of Obama and Trump extends beyond their responses to national emergencies and immigration policies. A study by Harvard University's Shorenstein Center found that Trump received 80% negative coverage from the media during his first 100 days in office, with Fox News being the only network to give him a positive rating of 48%. On the other hand, Obama dominated the news cycle during his campaign, receiving more press coverage than Clinton or McCain. According to the Pew Research Center, far more Americans believed that the press coverage favoured Obama over Clinton, with 37% saying that news organisations were biased towards him.
The media's bias towards Obama can also be seen in the way they covered his personal life. For example, the media often reported on the Obamas' profitable ventures, such as how they turned his presidency into a profitable venture and how they became rich during their time in office. On the other hand, the media frequently published negative stories about Trump, with liberal rags having something negative to say about the former president.
In conclusion, it is evident that Obama received less criticism from the media than Trump. This bias in media coverage has led to a public realisation of the media's corruption and bias, with many believing that the media has a significant impact on shaping public opinion and perceptions of political figures.
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Obama played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency
Barack Obama played golf during the H1N1 pandemic, which infected 60 million people and killed 12,000 in the US. Obama was criticised for his response to the pandemic, as he waited four months to declare a national emergency after the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared it a pandemic. During this time, he was seen playing golf, with some sources claiming he played the day after his administration declared H1N1 a public health emergency.
Obama was an avid golfer, playing 98 rounds during his presidency, according to data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent. This is a notable increase from his predecessor, George W. Bush, who played 24 times during his eight years in office. Obama even surpassed Bush's tally in less than one term.
Obama's love for the game continued throughout his presidency, and he eventually played over 300 rounds of golf during his time in office. He was known to play with other notable figures, including Clinton, Tiger Woods, basketball star Ray Allen, and various CEOs. Obama also mixed business with pleasure, conducting official duties on the golf course.
While Obama received criticism for golfing during the H1N1 pandemic, it is worth noting that he is not the only president to do so. Golf has a long history as a presidential tradition, with presidents using it as both an escape and an extension of the Oval Office.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Obama went golfing during the H1N1 pandemic.
Obama played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency.
Obama was seen golfing at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.
The media did not criticise Obama for golfing during the pandemic. In fact, some outlets praised him for it, saying that he was showing people "not to panic".
