Taking a break from his own family vacation to respond to the poor jobs numbers Friday, Mitt Romney said as president he’ll try to make sure all Americans can take vacations.
The presumptive Republican nominee is vacationing in New Hampshire with his family, and has been photographed playing volleyball with his sons and riding a Jet Ski with his wife on Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H. But, as with President Obama, Mr. Romney’s vacation time has come under scrutiny.
At a brief press conference called to respond to the job numbers, he was asked to defend his vacation, and he said he views it as part of the American Dream — and vowed to make vacations more attainable for everyone.
“I’m delighted to be able to take a vacation with my family,” he said. “I hope that more Americans are able to take vacations, and if I’m president of the United States I’m going to work very hard to make sure we have good jobs for all Americans who want good jobs, and as part of a good job the capacity to take a vacation now and then with their loved ones.”
A few minutes later Mr. Obama, campaigning in Poland, Ohio, also spoke about the joys of vacations.
But he painted a very different picture of his youthful vacations, saying he “traveled around the country on Greyhound buses and on trains” and stayed in Howard Johnson hotels, where a highlight was making a run to the vending and ice machines.
“I was 11, and so if there was any kind of swimming pool — it didn’t matter how big it was, you’d spend the whole day there,” he said.
