News Interrupts Obama's Hawaii Vacation

By: Robert Hendin
Topics: White House

(AP)

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Today marks day three of Barack Obama's first Hawaiian vacation as President of the United States. He came here last year as president-elect and it's been an Obama family tradition to come here for Christmas for some time, especially meaningful because he grew up here.

But this is the first he's hit the beach as leader of the free world and it wasn't 24 hours on the island of Oahu that his vacation was interrupted by news. Not just any news, but news of the attempted terrorist attack on a flight landing in Detroit.

The president sprung into action. Within an hour of the attempt to ignite a fiery substance on the plane, he held a secure telephone conference call with his national security staff in Washington and was fully briefed on the situation. He ordered the nation's airport security to be increased and he ordered high-level reviews of security and the nation's terrorist watch lists.

On day two, he held another call and then went to the gym before playing a long round of golf with some friends from Hawaii and a close friend from Chicago who is also here vacationing.

This morning, he played a few games of basketball with staff and friends and may do some island exploring this afternoon.

The vacation continues, even though he is getting daily intelligence briefings and the White House says he is constantly monitoring the latest with the investigation into the attempted terrorist attack.

One of his basketball partners today was his national security chief of staff, so you could say that even while relaxing, he's always close to his top aides.

More Coverage from CBSNews.com:
Obama Orders Airport Screening Review
Plot Forces Flight Security Crackdown
Bomb Suspect was Always "Very Religious"
Expert: Yemen Ties Could be "Game Changer"
Latest on the Investigation
Official: U.S. Knew of Suspect for 2 Years
Report: Father Warned of Bomb Suspect Son
Official: Explosive PETN Used in Attack
Jasper Schuringa ID'd as Flight 253 Hero
Safety in the Air
Fight 253 Terror Scare

Robert Hendin is a CBS News White House producer. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here.

Robert Hendin
Robert Hendin is senior producer for "Face the Nation" and a CBS News senior political producer.
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by bumpedoff1 December 28, 2009 3:49 PM EST: obama the clown he should have been in chicago oh thats right he's not from chicago he was there for the back room deals; Reply to this comment


by conniebea December 28, 2009 3:21 PM EST: this did not interrupt nothing.. we as a country are in big trouble. and his address to the country a minute ago was weak. we the people exspect harsh, stern warnings to this mess. but no, obama is leading us down a path we may not ever recover.. i wish bush was in charge. he did not tolerate any crap. and his administration were all mostly military and they know how the terroist of the world think. this group of obamas can't get out of a wet paper sack.. and what if this had been a gitmo preview would our president even recognize the danger? he has the public in a uproar and he doesn't even listen. and you know what?? the terroist know it too... was he talking to a first graders classroom or the american people. its either one or 2 things, our president is so far out of the fricken loop or he doesn't give a damn.. i dare him to blame bush.. c; Reply to this comment

by bravo31whiskey December 28, 2009 3:50 AM EST

Wow! You good ol guys and gals can cry all you want, Obama is here to stay. With health care passing the Senate, hell be back in 2012 as well. Dont worry, after 2016 maybe one of your uneducated,racist republican candidates will win. Until then, cry on cry babies.

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by ffoulkes-2009 December 28, 2009 4:03 AM EST: We'll see who's crying in 2012.


by ffoulkes-2009 December 28, 2009 2:57 AM EST: Oh, my...You mean the President actually has to WORK on a 'working' vacation? Heaven forbid! And you all thought Bush was just relaxing and clearing brush during those weeks at his ranch in Crawford.; Reply to this comment


by fedupwithlies2 December 27, 2009 11:23 PM EST: Obama is on the island of Hawaii, as he is trying to get his birth certificate doctored ; after the fact. He knows things are heating up; he is talking to his buddies to help him out. Those who assit him in his deception will be part of the Treason.
De-Port obama and his illegal Auntie, NOW!; Reply to this comment


by wfw3536 December 27, 2009 6:07 PM EST: This article is really unbelievable and must have come from MSNBC. I can't believe CBS would waste the space to post this on their site. Maybe the media should go back to reporting 101 on what real news is.; Reply to this comment


by Montanabound13 December 27, 2009 4:58 PM EST: I had to read this twice because I was sure it was satire at first. Who wrote this - an eighth grader with a crush on Obama? He "sprung" into action? Spring, sprang, sprung. The mainstream media is moribund.; Reply to this comment


by luadda22 December 27, 2009 4:09 PM EST: "The president sprung into action". What did he do, jump into a phone booth and change into his Superman costume? Who wrote this article, Chris Matthews?; Reply to this comment

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