White House Defends Obama's Leisure Time

A White House spokesman says the United States benefits when President Barack Obama takes time to go golfing and "clear his mind."

Obama spokesman Bill Burton on Monday defended Obama's leisure activities amid some Republican criticism that Obama should not be scheduling fun time during the Gulf oil spill crisis.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Disaster in the Gulf

In a statement yesterday, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called out the president after he went golfing and attended a baseball game Saturday.

"Until this problem is fixed, no more golf outings, no more baseball games, no more Beatle concerts, Mr. President," Steele said.

But Burton said Americans stand by the notion that "their president ought to have a little time to clear his mind." He said Obama relaxed after a week in which he got help for victims of the oil spill and traveled to Ohio to speak on the economy, among other work. Burton said that having time to himself "probably does us all good."