Posted on 12/28/2009 2:55:20 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
Ambulance Rushes To Obama Compound In Hawaii First Family Spends Christmas Vacation In President's Birthplace HONOLULU (CBS) ―
President Barack Obama abruptly ended a round of golf Monday and sped toward his family's vacation home for what was described as a "personal matter."
An administration official said that the incident related to a child of an Obama family friend who was injured on vacation.
White House aides said the speedy departure and return to the president's home was not a matter of national security or because of a threat to Obama's safety.
Obama was playing golf when reporters who travel with him were quickly assembled for a return to the first family's neighborhood. Journalists saw an ambulance speed past with its lights on, heading toward the end of Obama's street.
Before he left Washington, White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday that the president wanted to spend his holiday in his birthplace away from the news-of-the-moment distractions that have dominated his first year in office.
No such luck as Obama has been hounded almost non-stop by news of a bomb plot on board a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day. Monday, he made his statement on Northwest bomb incident from the Kaneoho Marine Base.
Then again, this is a refrain that preceded the Obamas' summer vacation on Massachusetts' Martha's Vineyard that saw the renomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and the death of Senate lion Edward M. Kennedy.
"I asked the president if he had any special message for you guys," Burton told reporters aboard the presidential aircraft during the nine-hour flight from Andrews Air Force Base near Washington to Hawaii. "He would like for you to relax and to not anticipate any public announcements or news-making events."
Reporters laughed. It was almost the exact phrase Burton uttered on the way to the Obamas' summer vacation; the touch wasn't lost on the deputy press secretary as the entire White House apparatus headed toward Christmas Day on Oahu.
The president, a first-year chief executive who has inherited — and tackled — an economic crisis worse than anything the United States has experienced in decades, doesn't really get vacation amid two wars. Even his departure was delayed because his top advisers wanted him in Washington to witness — or baby-sit, depending on the official — the U.S. Senate pass its piece of a massive government overhaul of health care coverage.
Much in the final legislation remains to be decided, but his top advisers — and the president himself, later — decided it best not to chance an on-time departure to his vacation.
You know, just in case.
"He's been involved throughout this process working with members of the House and the Senate; White House staff has been working with their staffs, and you can imagine we're going to continue to work with those folks as we go forward to ensure that we get this historic health care reform done for the American people," Burton told reporters in what he said he hoped would be the final White House briefing — at 32,000 feet — of the year.
But while Burton suggested there wouldn't be news during the next week or so — the White House won't detail when the president's vacation officially ends — it's clear the White House isn't shutting down. On the flight, top national security officials walked around with their children, and the presidential jet was full, either with military personnel ready to help the commander in chief or with members of the first family with their luggage.
For his part, Obama has urged aides to keep him out of the public eye. He spent last Christmas and New Years on the island awaiting his Inauguration in Windward Oahu at a house that rents for about $4,000 a night. He played basketball at his high school, ate shave (never shaved, as the mainland says) ice, toured a zoo and aquatic park, and spread the ashes of his grandmother, who died just days before his historic election.
Early this Christmas Day, Barack and Michelle Obama — and their motorcade — visited a nearby Marine Corps base for a morning workout. Reporters accompanying the first couple didn't see the fit duo.
Later in the morning, the first couple exchanged gifts with their daughters, the president's half-sister and her family. White House aides said Barack and Michelle Obama did not exchange gifts with each other.
For dinner, the Obamas planned to dine on roast beef, potatoes and other traditional dishes, the White House said.
This year, his sister, brother-in-law and their daughters waited on the tarmac as the Obamas arrived at what is the closest homeland the president knows. His grandmother and mother, both deceased, called this their base while raising him. And first lady Michelle Obama — a South Side of Chicago native whose mother lives with them at the White House but didn't make the trip here — has repeatedly said this is where her husband is from.
Even so, the White House machine doesn't let its chief take a few days to fly kites or body surf. It has the president at the ready to deal with any crisis, foreign or domestic. Red phones are wired, emergency binders are on the shelves. The president is ready to govern, even from a golf course.
what biased crap and why the need to mention the birthplace.
Bush plays golf and he gets whacked bozo has played more in his short time and took more vacations and yet nothing but bias crap from the media.
The author should be embarrassed by that article
he sped away but can’t do the same when were getting attacked
what utter crap
abruptly ended a round of golf Monday’’’’
Yeah for a surfboard, a friend of a family member,,,
Yeah Bias!
Well since Obama has already "tackled" the economic crisis, any new bad economic news must be squarely placed on his shoulders, right?
FIT, FIT they’re trying to tell us that smoker and ex druggie is fit and his lazy big ass wife is fit.
what a crock
I kinda wonder about the families of all the aides and secret service. They will get no time with their loved ones over the holidays, due to the shear distance. Chicago would have been much more central in the country, and easier on these people.
I think I read somewhere that Bush would spend Christmas in the White House for precisely this reason (his SS agents likely lived in the DC area).
Can’t Be True !
The Main Stream Media would never lie to us or push an agenda.
It HAS to be REALLY important to the country’s security or they wouldn’t have made such a big issue out of this.
“inherited” = blame Bush ..but what do you expect? obozo can’t man up since he aint got no noonaadddsss!!!!!you betcha ><>
A man goes out golfing, and comes home later than usual. He is exhausted and seating, and plops down in a chair. His wife gives him the usual, "What took so long?"
"Well, on the 2nd tee, Harry took his drive and fell over. It turned out he had a heart attack and died on the spot."
His wife says, "Oh, that's terrible! It must have been vary difficult for you."
The husband replies, "It certainly was. For the rest of the round, it was hit the ball, drag Harry; hit the ball, drag Harry..."
did you forget to add (sarc?...lol
Does anyone really believe zer0 plays golf? Is this an attempt at creating a sophisticated image because he looks too girlie on his bicycle in his mom jeans and helmet?
Anyone think he sits out on the golf course to get away from the wookie, play on his blackberry and chain-smoke?
You’ll note that this steamer doesn’t have a byline.
When the “reporter” doesn’t have to sign garbage like this, their donut-lipped sycophancy can attain full flower without having anyone’s fingerprints on it.
Cowards.
Those terrorists should have realized that, nice as it is to blow up a plane on Christmas day, they should not be harrassing Obama on the beach and the golf course with these constant bombings and shootings.
VERY inconsiderate of them.
Even Teddy Kennedy was thoughtless and inconsiderate, dying while Obama was trying to enjoy his vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. Really mean.
Guess what he is doing when he is on the job. Send the a-hole to Saudi Arabia & let him kiss the arse of that leader for the next 3 yrs. Let's not forget about ole Ben Nelson. He sold his state out as much or more than this long-legged Mac Daddy.
Yeah for a surfboard, a friend of a family member,,,
Yeah Bias!
Obama prolly thought that his world-class surgical skills were needed - or at least the laying-on of his hands so that the injured one might rise ...
Hope the child is okay.
Would like to see a pic of Obama’s actual birthplace and proof thereof.
“Obama travels to the place of his birth to spend the holidays in his birthplace. He said that he wanted to return to his birthplace. Birthplace. Birthplace. Birthplace. Is he gonna spawn?
Are we allowed to ask?
Was this family just coincidentally on vacation in Hawaii? I suppose if the kid is a friend of the Obama daughters who tagged along by herself, I wouldn't have too much problem looking the other way? But if this is some Obama friend who's out there on my dime with his family, I'd like to know. FOIA anyone?
ML/NJ
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