Like Every Administration, White House Defends Obama "Vacation"

President Obama plays golf during his vacation to Martha's Vineyard last year.

/ AP

Editor's Note: This post was written before President Obama's 2010 trip to Martha's Vineyard. Click here for Mark Knoller's latest dispatch on the president's vacations, including the latest statistics on his 2011 trip.

Every White House is a bit defensive about presidential vacations and President Obama's staff is no exception.

"Whenever you talk about a presidential vacation you ought to put the word "vacation" in quotes because you can bet that there will still be work that he's doing every day," deputy press secretary Bill Burton told reporters yesterday on Air Force One.

Mr. Obama and family are today beginning a 10 day "vacation" on Martha's Vineyard. (Okay, Bill, those quotation marks are for you.")

Burton is right in that a president is never really on vacation. The job follows him wherever he goes as does a sizeable contingent of aides, secret service and communications personnel as well as the military officers who carry the "football," the nickname for the briefcase containing the nuclear launch codes. Some vacation...

Burton made a point of saying that Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan is among those accompanying Mr. Obama to Martha's Vineyard and will give him a national security and intelligence briefing every day.

Like its predecessors, the Obama White House is unapologetic about the president getting away for some rest and recreation. Last summer, Mr. Obama played golf on 4 of his eight days on Martha's Vineyard. It's also billed as time for him to spend with his family before his daughters go back to school in September.

"I don't think there's an American person who doesn't know that the president is working hard to do everything possible to get this economy back on the right track," said Burton to emphasize the point that the president deserves some time away from the White House grind, even if some of the grind goes with him.

This is Mr. Obama's 9th vacation since taking office. As of today, he has spent all or part of 38 days on "vacation" away from the White House. He has also made 14 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 32 days. It brings his total time away to all or part of 70 days.

It's less than the "vacation" time taken during the same period by his immediate predecessor. (Former President George W. Bush gets the quotation marks too.)

As of this point in his 1st term, Mr. Bush had made 14 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 102 days. He also made 40 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 123 days. His "vacation" total at this point in his presidency was all or part of 225 days away.

To show that even as he heads on vacation he's on the job, the White House announced that Mr. Obama would make a statement on the economy before getting on Marine One to begin his trip to the Vineyard.

Burton also said yesterday that Mr. Obama would be getting "constant updates on what's happening in the economy and other issues" while on Martha's Vineyard, where he has rented a house for his time there.

"Like a lot of American people, the president is taking a little time with his family to recharge his batteries," Burton said. But when asked if Mr. Obama really needed a vacation, Burton stopped short of making that assertion.

Mark Knoller: When presidents go on "vacation," controversy follows
Raw Video: Obama's Martha's Vinyard retreat
In Obama's town hall rhetoric, echoes of Bush

[cattiej]

Obama 70 Bush 225..
I don't know who these people are are complaining about the President's vacation time..he is really never on vacation but has to take his job with him. Some of these commments are from the Republican's and t party (thats the trouble party) people who just want to make trouble for the President. I also don't like Chris Todd the White House reporter for NBC and his reporting of the President...he calls him Mr. Obama..his views are so slanting against our President..he smirks when he talks about President Obama. I think his is letting his Republican views show and he should get a job at Fox where he can say all he wants against our President. We don't watch Brian Williams anymore because we dislike Chris so much..I don't know why NBC doesn't yank him from the White House and let someone cover the news from there with a less disrespectful manner. We wrote to NBC and voiced our opinion on his reporting but of course we didn't get an answer but then we don't know who read our complaint at NBC either..We watch CBS evening news now. We think the best reporter is Anderson Cooper you at times has put his life on the line to report to the American people about what is happening around our globe. Thank you Mr. Cooper.

[OkinSama]

Frankly, the SOLE SIMPLE FACT that Bush took THREE TIMES AS MUCH vacation time, as Obama, after the same amount of time in office.. PROVES BEYOND A DOUBT, that you republican fools who run around criticizing Obama for this, have ONLY YOUR IGNORANT ILLOGICAL HATRED OF HIM to back you up.

It doesn't matter how good or bad a President he is, You people simply HATE HIM, regardless. -_- He's done more good things for this country than Bush ever did, even tho he's CERTAINLY not perfect, and I disagree with a lot of what he does. Bush got us into this mess, It's just sad Obama hasn't been able to bring much noticeable recovery.
But Republicans who are doing everything in their power, not to help the country, but rather to continually TIE OBAMA'S HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK. -_-

You people are the problem here, this hatred is hindering the good that should be easily accomplishable by now. -_-

[slappy-mcjohnson]

Bush didn't protect us ON 9/11, Indie.

[catmomtx]

Perfectly said, thank you.

[richlala]

erasmus, I like your comments about the real reason these people hate everything about President Obama. Not only do you people of other countries see the racism, a lot of us Americans, black, white and inbetween can see the racism. They will find out come 2012. I have lived in America my whole life and racism here has been alive and well for my 55 years. It's their dirty little secret, but actions always speak louder than words. They tell us that America is not racist, but if you pay attention to what happens here, people of color are the least likely to get justice from our justice system, least likely to be employed with a good paying job. We have many young people of color graduating from universities, but you won't here about that. I guess it would not matter anyway because our President is very intelligent and has credentials to prove it, but is still not good enough for the highest job in the land, hmmmm, I wonder why. We have had more presidents without college education than with it. Oh, but they were white.

[erichsh]

Considering how horribly racist America is according to you, it's a miracle Obama got elected in the first place then, isn't it? With approval numbers hovering around 40%, I guess 60% of Americans are now racist, eh? Maybe that blatant racism might subside a bit if America wasn't still stuck in a deep recession with a deficit spiraling out of control.

[catmomtx]

The miracle was that the American people saw right through Republican lies and garbage and voted for the person they thought was the best choice. Some prople voted for President Obama because they knew Sarah Palin and John McCain were horrible choices. The shame is some Americans never gave the President a chance.

Now Republicans on the other hand started very early on trying to destroy President Obama. It seems that they decided that he may have won the Presidency but it wouldn't be a successful one. From the moment Rush Limbaugh declared loud and often that he wanted the President to fail, Republican intentions were clear. They have told the world that they refused to accept the outcome of our fair and free election and would rather see our country fail than President Obama succeed.

And by the way, why don't you take a look at what Ronald Reagans poll numbers and unemployment numbers were around the same time in his Presidency and keep in mind what George Bush's poll numbers were at the end of his term. Even Republicans knew how bad Bush had screwed our country. Now you people are just trying to rewrite history.

Oh and dude, you people are just hiding behind the racism card. You all whine about being called racist claiming it's just his policies you people don't like but the attacks on President Obama and his wife have been personal. NO ONE is wrong 100% of the time yet you people hate everything the President has ever said or done in his life. It is easy to claim everyone else is racist as a way of diverting the facts. But racist are cowards and would never admit it anyway. Oh, and perhaps if Republicans weren't so hell bent on destroying President Obama and trying to make him a one term President we wouldn't be stuck where we are. It is hard to do anything for your country when those that make the laws refuse to work with our duly elected President.

[WorkingForaLiving]

First off, Congress IS on VACATION...so NO new programs can be made, NO new money can be spent. Secondly with all our technology...why does he HAVE to be in DC? Why can't he do work in another location? Thirdly, Does he have a right to be a father or is he supposed to ignore his kids until he's not in the White House? And for the Republican critics, why did Chris Christie go on vacation with his family in December while NJ had its problems...you were sure proud to stand up for him!!!! Get over it.

[catmomtx]

Oh come on, Barack Obama, a black male being a great, attentive, supportive father who just so happens to love his wife and kids? A father who seems to enjoy showing his kids new things and smaking sure they read, study and use their experiences to enhance their lives, and seems to enjoy being with his wife? Heaven forbid! That certainly blows the image of black males, doesn't it?

[wildinaustin]

All politicians are elitists. Free health insurance, free travel, free haircuts, golden parachutes, everything free. They don't live like real Americans so they don't act like real Americans. They are the ones on the entitlement ride. How many Americans have taken vacations in the last two years? Much less two months a year. How do we stop this madness?

[Davecat94]

How and when prior presidents have vacationed has no bearing here. Leave it alone. I am not fan of the current Mr President but I do have enough sense to know he will not be away from the job even if he is away from the office. I don't think the timing is perfect but at his level of responsibility, is it ever?

[IndependentWisconsin]

Guess I partially agree with republicans on this one....... Would prefer to have President Obama at work in the White House, Not on Vacation, since he may well be one of the only sane, caring, individuals still working to make things better for the Bottom 95% of We hard working Americans.

While with Bush.. We, the Bottom 95% of hard working Americans, would most likely be better off today if he had taken an 8 year vacation...

[selinadd]

Let me recap the article for the laming ~ Obama vs. Bush vacation score at this point in Presidency is Obama 70 Days to Bush 225 Days (And Bush continued to take these vacations after 9-11, the war in Afghanistan and on his way to the Iraq debacle.) Now where was Brush when the US was going to _ell?

[phdavis1962]

If the President worked were I do he would have earned the following days vacation beginning 1/20/2009:
40.625 Days Vacation
20 Days of Holiday Leave
17 Days Discretionary Leave
77.625 Total Leave Earned
He is basically right on track!

[sabbathday]

I would like to know why there doesn't seem to be any limit to what the president and his lady can spend of our tax dollars, as they flit hither and yon to fancy places we think twice about visiting, ourselves. The two
seem to have no concept of restraint while people are suffering; they seem
oblivious to We The People. Why can't they set a good example?! Will their children end up like them?

I wrote to Darrell Issa and asked him to rein in these two, if not now, in future budgets. He'll probably get re-elected. Sheesh!

[leadstylist]

What are you even talking about? The president pays for his own vacation, not tax dollars. Tax dollars do go towards the secret service and his support staff but that's true of all presidents. Bush spent more than three times more days on vacation than Obama and the president still works while on vacation. You can bash Obama if you want, that's fine but this BS about vacation time has got to stop, it's disingenuous and mean-spirited(not that I expect much more from today's brand of conservative).