I thought you had be a full time employee to get a vacation?
It's going to be hot tubs, basketball, tennis and golf for the first family this summer, having set plans for a 16-day vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., on a $12 million, 10-acre forested estate on the southwestern corner of the island.
Reports from the Bay State indicate that President Obama and his family will vacation August 9-24 at the 8,100-square foot, beachfront home of a Democratic donor that includes a pool, hot tub, basketball and tennis court.
It will be new digs for the first family, who have summered on tony Martha's Vineyard every year of Obama's presidency, except in 2012 when he was running for reelection.
The Vineyard Gazette reported that the White House has no major or public events planned for the almost three weeks, typical at this stage of a presidential vacation.
The Cape Cod Times reported that several local stores typically visited by the president and his family during the past five Obama trips are making plans to welcome them, including famous Mad Martha's Ice Cream which last year developed a new flavor called “Barack My World,” espresso ice cream, macadamia nuts and caramel.
Obama is expected to be accompanied by top aide Valerie Jarrett, a regular summer resident of Oak Bluffs, one of the island's bigger towns.
It will be among the longest vacations Obama has taken and four times longer than the average 3.8 day vacation the typical American family takes.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.
