Never thought of going home for Christmas as retreating. Have you?
No slight on 'home for Christmas' intended.
I simply think the Times indulged in an intentional double-entendre, trying to paint the image of a president hounded into retreat.
By the way, my conclusion is reinforced by the article's very first sentence, which speaks of W spending the first six days of his holiday in isolation.
Again, the Times attempts to depict Pres. Bush as harried, perhaps depressed, cut off from the world. This is consistent with the Newsweek cover of Bush in a Bubble. MSM negative spin.