In America anyone can become President

It is laudable how in America any man from whatever race, colour or creed can become President so long as he is filthy rich. Even the massively pro-Obama BBC could not ignore the story that:

"US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle earned $2.66m (£1.78m) in 2008, according to annual tax returns released by the White House."

The BBC do helpfully point out that

"The figures also show the president and first lady gave $172,050 to various charities and paid $933,000 in taxes. "

I like that sentence, it really shows the BBC's bias up. The point about giving to charity is a fair one but the point about paying taxes? I don't remember the BBC pointing out how much anyone else has paid in tax. Do the BBC point out how much tax William Hague has to pay on his earnings from speech-making? Do the BBC explain how much tax "City fat cats" pay?

I suppose the tax paid comment could be seen as a well deserved dig at the way so many of Barack Obama's appointees have had problems paying tax themselves in the past, but somehow I doubt it was meant that way.