First Family Escapes to Martha's Vineyard

Obamas Plan Weeklong Retreat on Renowned New England Island; Departure Delayed by Hurricane Bill

(AP)  Updated 11:50 a.m. Eastern

Hurricane Bill blew out in time for the Obama family to blow in to Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast for the president's first vacation since taking office.

The National Hurricane Center on early Sunday lifted a tropical storm warning that had included the small island where the first family plans a weeklong break. The hurricane, moving away from the New England coast offshore and closer to Nova Scotia, forced the president to delay his departure from Andrews Air Force Base by a few hours to mid-afternoon. Still the waves were big on the beaches and lifeguards warned about dangerous rip currents.

Some Obama friends, including White House adviser Valerie Jarrett and Chicago physician Eric Whitaker, planned to accompany the family. The president has no official events scheduled in the week ahead. Don't be surprised if he finds time to tee it up on the golf course.

Then there are the likely trips for ice cream and salt water taffy, possibly a bike ride and plenty of quiet time at a secluded 28-acre private estate that rents for $35,000 a week. The Obamas are paying for their share of the vacation home; taxpayers are picking up the tab for security and White House staff, which is customary for all presidents.

Ahead of the trip, President Obama and his aides asked for privacy for his daughters, 8-year-old Sasha and 11-year-old Malia.

"It is our strong hope and desire that you all, during this family vacation, will respect the privacy of Sasha and Malia Obama. This is a strong request by the first family," press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters, conveying a direct appeal from the Oval Office.

There's talk that Mr. Obama may visit ailing Sen. Edward Kennedy at his vacation home in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod. A visit with Kennedy, who has brain cancer, could provide a rallying point for Democrats as Mr. Obama seeks to achieve one of Kennedy's career goals: overhauling the nation's health insurance system to provide near-universal coverage.

Vendors on Martha's Vineyard are selling T-shirts with the first family's pictures and even promoting Bo, the first dog who will join the Obamas. There are cupcakes and ice creams named for the Obamas and cardboard cutouts of the president in storefront windows.

The Vineyard is just 23 miles long with a year-round population of about 15,000. Any motorcade is certain to draw attention on an island already crowded with summer visitors.

The playground for the rich was a vacation spot for President Clinton and President Ulysses S. Grant during their respective times in the White House. Mr. Obama has visited twice before. More typically he has vacationed in Hawaii, where he was born and spent time as a child.

Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton were island regulars through the highs and lows of Mr. Clinton's presidency. On their first presidential vacation there in 1993, they were photographed happily sailing, golfing and exploring the island's restaurants and scenery together.

Five years later, it was a different story. The Clintons headed for the island just hours after the president publicly confessed to an inappropriate relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky.

[megawhy]

Can't we all just support this President and let him destroy the Constitution and America as we know it???? Come on people...lets be nice and do what ever the Democrats want and they will call us Bi-Partisan. We can become Socialistic and they will be happy. We can hate America and the Democrats will cheer.

I have lost ALL respect for the Democratic Party...I am ashamed to say I ever belonged to that party.

[krj9]

Just kills me. Here Bush spends 27 percent of his presidency on vacation and these nuts don't say a word.
Destroys the economy, they don't say a word.
Run up huge deficits, they don say a word.
Use torture , they don't say a word.
The republican party just gets more extreme with each passing day.
Now their so far out there, it's scary

[Joe_NY_15]

by krj9 August 24, 2009 8:55 AM EDT

Stay focused, we are talking about THIS president and his rediculous mother in law's vacations....this isn't about any previous presidents.

[megawhy]

Who is scary? Democrats are facsists..that is scary!
Democrats destroyed the economy...Congress controls the purse strings..and a democratic congress was in charge.
Huge deficits...name one bigger than Obama's.
Well I guess the new White House Torture Squad will keep us all safe!..LOL
The definition of Democrat is Extreme...just look at what is going on..that is extreme.

[chonder2]

Saw Meet the Press yesterday.WOW!! Orin Hatchback LIED every time he opened his mouth.He would get corrected in the response and make up another LIE again!!He LIED about EVERYTHING but his name!!

[r9119111]

We can never again vote in another Republican imperialistic President.

[megawhy]

Well said Comrade!

[jab232]

I pray that they enjoy themselves and are safe. In an era where people carry guns at town hall meetings, they need be somewhere where they can be protected. I detest those who stir up of anger and carry guns to public meetings for political gain.

[r9119111]

by the_majesty August 23, 2009 8:29 AM EDT
Some leader, as our country is torn apart.
Obama runs and hides. Who voted for this.

------

Always looking for something to undercut our trusted, intelligent and efficient President --- are you not?

[chonder2]

jab-News report Satuday said Obama's paying for the vacation himself.
hnmom-You are a clueless idiot! Go ahead and repeat after me..."I am a Republican mostly because I don't like black people, I don't like gay people,I don't like democrats. Being that I'm this way, I perceive my- don't like- people as ENEMIES, therefore anything goes!!

[megawhy]

Did you say trusted? Nope..don't think he is trust worthy. Intelligent..I think he is smart. Efficient...give me a break!

[hnmom]

You can't say that this is President Obama's first family vacation since taking office. They just went to the Grand Canyon. Also in June, they all went to Europe, which was partly business for the President. I wish I can take such family vacations to go to all these lavish and beautiful places. And he's only been in office for 7 months. Since the national debt is so high, maybe he should start watching how he spends our money and take a family vacation like normal people--once a year.

[chonder2]

The___CHENEY

[jsd330]

chonder4

The____CHENEY
------------------------------------------------------------------------

And your point is?

[specialty8]

I thought they just went on vacation last week to the grand canyon,must be nice.

[KidLiberty_76]

AND Oh Sweet yes, any ( BODY STANDING WITH THIS BUM ) IS OUT 2 AS WELL, KNOW MATTER WHAT PARTY THEY BE-LONG TO ? IT'S TIME TO STRAT A NEW ! ! ! FROM THE VERY BOTTOM UP TO THE VERY TOP AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE OUT SIDE OF THE U.S. OF A. SO LET'S ALL MEET AGAIN IN PHILLY PA, JUST LIKE THEY DID IN 1776 - I AM RAEDY R U's ? Kid_Liberty_76 ...(^_^(?...

[KidLiberty_76]

I Really Do Think, That He Can - Not and Will Not, Go ( ALL ) of The 4yr's We Will Not Wait That Long For Him To Last That Long ! ! ! If We DID ? Let Him Stay In OUR White House ! ! ! So Sweet Yes, do let him take some time off if he think's that he Shuold - When Some of US Can Not ! ! ! Well Then Let'S Give Him ( ALL THE TIME HE WANTS OFF ) Dennis B Payne a.k.a. KID_LIBERTY_76 ...(^_^(?... P.S. I Did Not Vote For This Guy and I Don't Think That I Can Let Any Of US to Do So, as Well and Still Think That I AM a American ? in God we ( DO ) Trust ? Not This Bum Who Does Not Stand 4 u & Me ?

[girlmiami]

One Term President,. counting the days

[the_majesty]

Me too ... The American People will give Obama a long vacation in less than 3 years. Many democrats will get long vacations..................

[ffoulkes-2009]

majesty,

True, and THIS vacation he will have earned.

[chonder2]

The_Cheney

[choptopford]

Oboy just Me and the Prof.to drink beer, no white people

[credibility2]

Isn't it just dandy that Obama can easily afford this amount of money, when he tries to come off as the average shmoe? This has been his hypocritical persona throughout his political life. At least the media could have kept the amount unpublished so the average shmoe who's suffering financially won't be reminded of their miserable plight. Anyone who can afford to live in a million dollar plus mansion in Chicago and then pay $35k for a week's worth of family vacation bonding is pretentious and arrogant, but then most of us already knew this about the president and his family.

[ffoulkes-2009]

Yeah, he vacations in a place that costs about the same for a week as most Americans make in a year.

[reveal5]

Well, the granny and gramps hate club is in session. These right wing bloggers make a point of spreading their hatred every day. These folks always wake up on the wrong side of the bed and never have a good day. Anger, fear, hate, paranoia, arrogance, ignorance on daily display from these fringe 10%ers for all the world to see. Don't be scared. They're a bunch of geezers who hate the world amd want everyone else to be as depressed as they are. Just hope you never get that crotchety. These folks are the buffalo fart wing of the GOP. They can't help it. They are compulsively driven to hate. Compulsive haters who think they rule the world. Gotta feel sorry for'em. They just don't know the difference. They think hate, fear, and paranois is a normal condition. The President is getting a few days without a schedule to recharge and renew. A little to smell the roses, as it were. Most people do this so they won't turn into crotchety, hateful, paranoic, old farts who hate the world.

[credibility2]

Memories are conveniently short. Dems have a long standing history of thrashing about their vomitous vitriol when Repubs are involved, vacation or otherwise. I guess if they can dish it out, they had best better be able to take it.

[democracy1]

by HereIsBaghdad2009 August 23, 2009 12:40 PM EDT
That's right, Brazil Nut--use every stereotyped cliche in the book instead of making any kind of valid point. But, what else can we expect from you? You never have a valid point to make.

[randomlybanned]

A much deserved vacation? Come on, he's only been working for 8 months! Most of us have to wait a year to take a vacation and because of the policies of this and other admins we can't even afford to go anywhere! Stay-cation all the way!

[ffoulkes-2009]

Yeah...most have to wait a year for 1 or 2 weeks worth of vacation. He has already had what...7 or 8 I believe...man...what a job.

[megawhy]

Wow..and he has spent Trillions of dollars....excellent work. It is hard to count all that money...oh yeah it would take 63,000 years for someone to count to 1 trillion...if they counted by millions. Wow

[mav547166]

I thought that they had to evac Marthas Vineyard due to the rising sea levels. If they had only installed those solar powered windmills they could have saved the place.

[sowthbound]

Of course there was a delay, time was needed for the Rev. Wright to give his weekly "I hate America Sermon", and for the Illegal Immigrant Auntie to come out of hiding so they could tag along before they could leave.

[donnerwetter]

Well well now you red necks. The difference between Obama and Bush is this. Obama takes a week vacation and works the rest of the year. Bush worked a week and took the rest of the year as a vacation. So, we are making progress. Besides, if you don't like it here, you can leave.

[megawhy]

You have got to be kidding..Obama is known for going in late to the Whitehouse every sindle day. He has no work ethic..sheese. Somebody is drinking the Obama-aid.

[AustinSuzie]

He really should be focused on saving healthcare reform instead of lounging at a $30k/week beach resort home on opulent Martha's Vineyard. Didn't he just get back from gallivanting around Europe and touring the national parks with the extended family? And wasn't he in Hawaii just six months ago? If Hillary Clinton was President right now, you can be guaranteed she'd be working for the American people instead of taking repeated undeserved vacations. Boy the Dems really screwed the pooch on this one!

[democracy1]

by nyprisionguard001 August 23, 2009 9:40 AM EDT
Did you whine like this when Bush took weeks and weeks of vacation? If not, then what's your point?

[daffy64]

Well at least he hasn't has as much time off as W.

[megawhy]

Now who should be surprised! This was obvious from the moment I heard Obama speak. You people deserve exactly what you voted for...fools!

:-)

[azure13]

We've heard about this vacation now for at least two months. Enough already. Must be nice to have a writing job where you get to report the same news over and over and over...