Several people have criticized this AP story for taking a cheap shot at Bush, and rightly so. The article is all about how he’s the nation’s biggest gas consumer because he travels around in planes, helicopters and limousines. Look, half the time I turn on the TV I see the guy on a bike. Doesn’t he get any credit for that?

This aspect of the story struck me as more important. The media are always portraying Bush as a slacker who is always on vacation — never more so than this month. He has received heavy criticism for taking a vacation during a crucial time for Iraq. But according to the AP’s “gas-guzzler-in-chief” story:

But Bush is one of the nation’s most-traveled presidents.
He has visited 46 countries, some of them several times, during his presidency. He has been to all states except Vermont and Rhode Island.
So far this year, he has made 73 domestic and foreign trips, including crisscrossing the country on a 60-day, 60-city tour to promote his Social Security plan. He was on the road Wednesday, speaking to a military audience in Idaho, before returning to his Texas ranch to resume his summer vacation.

Bush has been an easy target for a lot of comedians because of the amount of vacation time he takes — few make fun of him more than the Daily Show’s Jon Stewart. I think the Daily Show is funny but honestly, Stewart works four days a week telling jokes and interviewing celebrities. His job is a vacation. Meanwhile, Bush has been running all over the country, talking to his cabinet, making speeches, and meeting with grieving military families. If I had to work this much on vacation I would quit my job.