Obamas head for romantic getaway in N.C.

Washington Post ^ | 04/23/2010 | Michael D. Shear

[Responsibility2nd]

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are heading out of town Friday for the mother of all date nights -- a weekend getaway in picturesque Asheville, N.C. (pop. 73,000). The first daughters, 8-year-old Sasha and 11-year-old Malia, are staying home, according to the East Wing.

The White House says the president is staying at the Grove Park Inn , where he held debate prep in October of 2008. Back then, he groused to reporters that he was too busy to snag any time on the golf course. On this visit, he'll likely hit the links, and maybe the spa as well.

Here's how we imagine the brochure might have looked as the First Couple flipped through possible vacation destinations:

EXCLUSIVE COUPLES WEEKEND GETAWAY!

Is the stress of ridding the world of nuclear weapons getting to you? Are you tired of solving the childhood obesity crisis? Do your nosy neighbors make your home feel like a fishbowl, especially when you take off in the helicopter?

Have we got the spot for you!

Leave the kids at home with grandma and come to the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa -- the perfect place to get away from foul-mouthed chiefs of staff, generals and their wars.

Tucked next to the legendary Blue Ridge Mountains, the resort features world-class amenities for those times when you don't want to worry about whether the prime minister of India should be sitting next to the senator from Alabama at your next state dinner.

Let worries about your public image fall away while you enjoy a facial, massage or steam bath at our world-class spa. And for guests who can't get enough time on the links, we offer the 32nd best golf course in the state of North Carolina.

[Responsibility2nd]

Exclusive romantic getaway - on the taxpayer dime.

[Tijeras_Slim]

There goes the neighborhood.

[Redleg Duke]

Remember when the press castigated President Bush for daring to go to Camp David on the weekend?

[subterfuge]

Nice that he’ll take some time off to stop destroying the country. I think he should do it more often.

[thirdgradeteacher]

Wow, with all the problems facing our county Mr. Obama is taking a vacation now? At least that’s what the media would be saying if President Bush was still around.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Barry is a Marxist Love Machine!

[illiac]

Romantic getaway....

I can’t even imagine......the pictures in my mind are not good.....

[jospehm20]

Wookie love.

[Rastus]

Romantic getaway? So, they’re flying in Sohale Siddiqi for Obama, but who for Michelle? Chewie?

[reagan_fanatic]

Is he bringing a full-length mirror with him?

[MayfairFly]

Just sharing the pain of an economic downturn with the rest of the “common folk”.

[vaudine]

ALL this pair has done is play and display their ostentatious life style paid for by us, while telling us to suck it up, use less, pay more, travel less, get little rinkydink cars, give up our guns, religion, freedom of choice, health care as we know it---and that is just for openers.

Enough already!

vaudine

[Rastus]

And he don’t work for nobody but Mao.

[SF_Redux]

wonder if Larry Sinclair will be there for him

[andy58-in-nh]

Let worries about your public image fall away while you enjoy a facial, massage or steam bath at our world-class spa.

I suppose there will be something for Michelle to do as well...

[tarheelswamprat]

There goes the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Asheville is looney-left central in North Carolina, so they'll fit right in.

[Lazamataz]

Is the resort called Berchtesgaden? Does it look like this?

[BookmanTheJanitor]

The taxpayers are fighting to keep their jobs and make it from paycheck to paycheck and this guy is jetting off to “date nights”....unbelievable arrogance

[BelegStrongbow]

I DONT WANT THEM IN MY STATE!!!