Reacting to President Obama’s date night in New York City, on Monday night, Jon Stewart joked that Obama would have a tough time topping the date in the future:

Not for nothing, pace yourself. You’ve been in office four months. You’re already flying into New York – 3 star dinner, Broadway show. Next year it’s going to be over night in Paris.

But Stewart joked too soon. Reports the New York Times:

Malia and Sasha Obama will fly with the first lady to France on Friday to join President Obama for a family weekend in Paris, a White House official said on Wednesday.

Despite the cable-TV criticism and the late-night jokes about the Obamas’ self-indulgent personal travel, President Obama remains completely unapologetic. From NBC’s Inside the Obama White House on Wednesday night:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: Your date night in New York. Your trip to California during their financial crisis – the fundraising in Beverly Hills. Do you care to react to any of the criticism that followed?”

PRESIDENT OBAMA: No. …If you looked at the trips we’ve taken, or the costs that we’ve incurred, they stack up very favorably to any previous president’s.

Whether or not you think the Obamas’ personal travel is justified, that’s an interesting defense for a President who got elected on the promise of “change.”