Critics Say Michelle Obama's Trip to Spain Was 'Tone-Deaf.' Do You Agree?

Aug. 9, 2010— -- First lady Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha, 9, have returned to the United States after a whirlwind tour of Spain that some critics have called tone-deaf in the nation's tough economic times.

The five-day trip took them to the southern part of the country, where they visited picturesque coastal towns, shopped and even lunched with the King and Queen of Spain.

Mother and daughter stayed at the five-star Hotel Villa Padierna, where rooms run from $400 to nearly $7000 per night, an extravagance that some say is insensitive while the country is mired in recession.

"It's out of balance, it's not a smart move," Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez told "Good Morning America," sentiments echoed on some cable news broadcasts this the weekend.

The White House defended the first lady's trip, noting that the Obamas paid their own way for the trip. But U.S. taxpayers footed the bill for the security, a cost that is estimated at $250,000.

White House adviser David Axelrod said the criticism was overblown, telling the New York Times, "Folks in the public eye are also human beings."

Our question to you today: Do you agree that Obama's trip to Spain was tone-deaf, or do you think the criticism is unfair?

Click here to return to the 'World News' page.