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Do I read hypocracy here? Vacations are now okay in the middle of a war, and the President is the President 24/7?August 24, 2009
Pleading for privacy, the White House said Obama would have no
public events while vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard with his
family and close friends.
Aides also asked that the journalists also not take pictures of the Obamas’ two young daughters, age 8 and 11, when they aren’t with the president.
“He wants you to relax and have a good time. Take some walks on
the beaches. Nobody’s looking to make any news,” spokesman Bill
Burton told reporters flying with the Obamas from Washington to
Massachusetts.
The White House said there is no formal schedule while the
Obamas are on the island, although the president will receive a
daily briefing in person from a National Security Council official.
He will receive an economic briefing through memos, and the
secluded 28-acre private estate has a secure line to the White
House if a situation develops.
Work doesn’t stop while the president is on vacation. Senior
adviser Valerie Jarrett, a close friend and counselor to the
president, joined the flight aboard Air Force One. Other midlevel
aides were on the island to assist the president if needed, a
reminder the presidency does not allow for complete breaks from the job.