WASHINGTON President Barack Obama is fleeing the heat and headaches of the capital in search of summers greatest delight: some time to unwind and kiss the office goodbye. Even if it is the Oval Office.
With wife Michelle, daughters Sasha and Malia and pet dog Bo in tow, Obama is hoping for a pleasantly uneventful 10 days as he heads to Marthas Vineyard, Mass., on Thursday.
Just like a lot of American people, the president is taking a little time with his family to recharge his batteries, deputy press secretary Bill Burton told reporters.
The long-awaited vacation comes after a hectic three-day fundraising and speechmaking sprint across the country and with new poll numbers showing Americans none too pleased with Obamas handling of the economy as crucial midterm elections approach.
Then theres the broiling controversy over a planned mosque near ground zero, which Obama elevated last week by saying the mosque should be allowed, a position a number of fellow Democrats are avoiding.
Continued high unemployment might seem to argue against an extended vacation at an exclusive island out of reach for most Americans. First lady Michelle Obama took flak over her recent jaunt to Spain. But Burton said voters wouldnt begrudge their president some down time.
I dont think theres an American person who doesnt know that the president is working hard to do everything possible to get this economy back on the right track, Burton said.
Burton also noted that any time a president goes on vacation, the word vacation has to be in quotes, because the responsibilities of the office dont take time off. A battery of aides is accompanying the president to Marthas Vineyard, where hell continue to receive his daily intelligence and other briefings.
Then theres the unexpected. Last summer while on Marthas Vineyard, Obama nominated Ben Bernanke to a second term as Federal Reserve chairman to quiet speculation about the appointment. He also went to Boston to eulogize his friend and former colleague, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.
Obama is the third sitting president to spend time on Marthas Vineyard. Bill Clinton vacationed there often, and long before that, so did Ulysses S. Grant.
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