With little fanfare, President Obama landed at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport yesterday afternoon to begin a 10-day Vineyard vacation as planned. Like last year, the arrival was completely closed to the public. The President traveled with the family dog, Bo, and a small group that included his close friend and senior advisor Valerie Jarrett and her daughter. First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters, Malia and Sasha, arrived on the Island earlier in the afternoon and were quietly whisked by the Secret Service to Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark, where the Obamas will spend the second consecutive summer vacation of Mr. Obama’s young presidency.
Marine One touched down at 2:40 p.m. yesterday carrying the President. The weather was picture-perfect late August: clear and sunny with temperatures in the low 80s and low humidity. A small crowd lined the West Tisbury Road to wave as the Presidential motorcade sped past.
The President’s first partial day on the Island was uneventful and the Obamas were in for the night at Blue Heron Farm by just after 3 p.m.
The President arrived at Andrews Air Force Base shortly after 1 p.m. Pooled press reports noted the first dog took the opportunity to sniff out some snacks in the kitchen of the press cabin before Mr. Obama and his entourage departed for Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station in Bourne. Also traveling with the President were deputy press secretary Bill Burton and homeland security advisor John Brennan.
Air Force One touched down at the Cape Cod air station at about 2:10 p.m., where Mr. Obama was greeted by Massachusetts Cong. William Delahunt. Mr. Obama gave him a big smile and put his arm around his shoulder.
Mr. Obama landed on the Vineyard 30 minutes later. The President wore navy blue slacks, a light-colored shirt and no tie.
In the hour leading up to the President’s arrival, excitement mounted in a tucked-away corner of the airport that fronted the tarmac. A string of yellow school buses were lined up in the distance to shield Mr. Obama from public view upon arrival; a small crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of Marine One as it landed. A lone West Tisbury police cruiser patrolled the area.
Summer visitor Dee Marshall of Hamden, Conn., said the reason for the sparse crowd was that people had been told the airport would be closed for the arrival. Driving into the airport business park in the early afternoon, she noticed it was still open. “I said, ‘Charlotte, keep going,’” she said of her friend and driver, Charlotte Boulding, also of Hamden. Both Ms. Marhsall and Ms. Boulding stood waiting for the President’s arrival for well over an hour.
Ms. Marshall said she had seen a red helicopter land at the airport shortly after she arrived, and a large sport utility vehicle sped away with the passengers. She speculated that it was Mrs. Obama and the first daughters, a fact later confirmed.
Travel plans for Island visitors Ameila Ames and Andy Gold were delayed slightly by the arrival of Mr. Obama. Their US Airways flight landed just before the President was scheduled to arrive, and Ms. Ames and Mr. Gold were unable to collect their luggage until after he had landed. Instead, they opted to join the spectators lining the fence hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr. Obama.
“At least we got to land,” said Ms. Gold. “It’s better than being stuck on the plane,” agreed Ms. Ames.
When a lone helicopter entered the airport airspace, most of the people gathered forgot the poison ivy growing around the fence and stepped in to get a closer look. The act proved fruitless when the helicopter continued to circle the tarmac. A short time later, two military helicopters neared the tarmac, landed and pulled up behind the row of schoolbuses, blocking all views of the passengers disembarking. Even the travel press pool, the only press allowed at the arrival, was too far back seeing the President.
Shortly after the President touched down on the Vineyard, traffic was stopped in the westbound lane of the West Tisbury Road to make way for the Presidential motorcade as it headed up-Island, to Mr. Obama’s vacation rental estate at Blue Heron Farm.
The President sat in the backseat of one of the black sport utility vehicles, easily visible from the roadside.
Clusters of spectators lining the road were mostly gracious, waving American flags and straining to catch a glimpse of the President. “One woman in a floppy yellow hat flashed a double thumbs-down,” the pool report noted.
By 3:15 p.m. the traveling press were sent home, with the Obamas in for the night.
The Obamas will stay on the Island until August 29, when he is scheduled to travel to New Orleans to speak on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
No public events are planned for the Vineyard visit. Mr. Obama is expected to play golf, as he did last year. Beyond that, no activities have been announced. Even the President’s summer reading list has not been disclosed.
Security this year is tighter than ever surrounding the Obamas’ vacation. In addition to the carloads of Secret Service, sharpshooters and other security personnel that accompany the President, Blue Heron Farm has been heavily armed with high-technology surveillance and other equipment.
During an informal briefing on a short list of domestic and international matters aboard Air Force One en route to Cape Cod, Mr. Burton told the traveling press corps about the attraction of the Vineyard for the President.
“It’s a comfortable place where he can rest and recharge the batteries a little bit,” Mr. Burton said. “It’s a beautiful part of the country. It has nice beaches and the folks are really great. The food is terrific. And it’s someplace that the President went before he was President, and likes to go back.”
Asked about the President’s work load during his vacation, Mr. Burton said that Mr. Obama will continue to get daily briefings about the economy and other issues as they arise.
“There’s other things that come up, and he’ll obviously attend to those as necessary,” Mr. Burton said.
This article appears in August 20, 2010.
I find it truly disgusting that so many misguided psychophants line the raod to yel and cheer this man. He will be, if he has not yet already become, the ruin of thee USA as we know it. Shame on all of you fools who think this man is somehting special!!!
Well Bob, your spelling and grammar say it all. Hopefully you’re as good a voter as you are a typist.
I hope they have a great time – rest, refresh, maybe catch some fish, & come back to D.C. in fighting trim.
Thrilled and delighted the President comes to this special place for his vacation
Imagine if President Bush took 6 vacations in one year, while the
federal waters of the Gulf has been an environmental disaster for the past 4 months. President Bush would be hanging from the Washington monument. Its a disgraceful double standard.
Bob, Don’t you know the liberal elites just LIVE for typos & misspellings? I share your disgust.
Can some one please explain how Obama is ruining this country?
The politics of hate and the “angry” voter syndrome are never ending from both parties.It really needs to stop.Do a little searching on the web from more than one reputable source,you’ll find that in his two terms,Bush had the largest number of vacation days.Does it really matter?Hell no,give it a break.Respect the office at the minimum.It has to start somewhere
I think it’s great to have the president visit mv island. Mr.Fargo,is a psychophant the new symbol of the republican party,oh, my mistake,thats still the elephant.
Laura for information in Bush’s 8 years in office he spent over 2 and a half years on vacation. That was with 2 wars raging, Katrina, Sept. 11th and presiding over the largest financial collapse in our countries history.
Better y’all have him than us. I have never been more disappointed in a president that I voted for in my life.
The Obama family’s 27 hour “vacation” on the Gulf of Mexico was a slap in the face to all here that are suffering. I thought he was our president. I thought he was my president. didn’t know we were excluded from the nation.
But, never mind. Corexit is on its way to all the world. You will soon know of what we speak. We are on ONE planet.
sincerely,
PJ
Mobile, Alabama
Hey, Don’t know bout u folks but I’d would like to go on a all expensed vacation with my family atleast once during my “Term” as a mom.
Rob, Though Bush spent lots of time on vacation, most of the time he was at his ranch in Crawford, which did not cost the taxpayers money for staying at his ranch. During that time he also had lots of meetings. Unemployment was also not close to 10% during that time.
Sycophant is the correct spelling. The definition is “one who attempts to win favor or advance himself by flattering persons of interest.” Aside from that, I wish we could afford 10 days on the Vineyard this summer!
July 22, 2010
“Few appear to need a vacation more than President Obama — but fewer still seem as chronically reluctant to get away and unplug,” Ms. Mason wrote.
“Bush spent all or part of 490 days at his Texas ranch, and 487 days at Camp David, according to Mark Knoller of CBS News, a tabulator of presidential data,” Ms. Mason reported.
“In two years, Obama has spent 33 days on vacation, and played an estimated 40 rounds of golf.”
And for good measure, she sought insight from a White House press flack.
“I don’t think that there’s a person in this country that doesn’t think that their president ought to have a little time to clear his mind,” said Bill Burton, White House deputy press secretary.
Burton added that Obama’s time off “probably does us all good as American citizens.”
This string of posts is so typical of the Obama Haters but it still boggles the mind!
Yep, Bush might have spent a sizeable portion of his presidency at his ranch in Crawford but he was hard at work most of that time, cutting brush, mending fences and doing other important chores while Cheney and Haliburton ran the show back in D.C.
He left a legacy that the Haters have punced on as something that Obama created and they started their bellyaching the day after he took office. Acually, let me restate that; they started blaming it all on Obama before he took office!
You may not like the man, his views or his accomplishments to date but the least you can do is try to hang on to a shred of reality when criticizing him.
Perhaps the Haters can give us simple minded liberals a short list of the former president’s accomplishments or maybe they would just prefer if Obama continued seaqching high and low for those weapons of mass destruction that got us all hyped on a phony war that has done grievous damage to so many men, women and children and has cost us literally trillions of dollars.
Rich in Houston, Bush’s vacation cost the lives of 3000 Americans. If he and Cheney were paying attention, 9/11 could have been stopped.
Bob Fargo, you are soooo right on! And, don’t let them give you a hard time,Albert Einstein couldn’t spell either..but leave it to them to name call……because that is all they have…..no facts to back anything up.
He has failed in everything he has tried to do so far. He is between 67 and 70 percent opposed, by most polls, by the American people in all that he has done. He has operated against the will of the majority of the American public since being in office!
He is incompetent, and way over his head. In fact, he may be more than incompetent, he may be a “plant”. Oh watch the liberal left react to that LOL
If “we” don’t do something soon to right this disgraceful attempt at destruction, America as we know it, and all of the principles it was founded on ,will be lost!
When you think of it…what qualifications did he even have to run on…….NONE!! He gave us change alright, but what a price to pay. I did not vote for him, and I am very proud of that fact.
9/11 happened 8 months after Bush took office. Do you really think that it was planned in 9 mos?? Was it Bush who was asleep at the wheel or was it Clinton, who was to busy getting serviced in the Oval Office, that let the planning of 9/11 go un-noticed. And how can anyone with any intellect compare spending August in Crawfore with the expensive extravagent vacation style of the Obama family. Its such a disgusting double standard that it makes me sick!
I can only imagine Roosevelt’s administration in the modern era. “Breaking news the President cannot stand or walk without assistance”. Or Churchill “The prime minister apparently suffers from a mental illness”.
Who took more vacation? How much it costs to take a vacation? Is this how we judge a public figure?
He is something special, he’s the President of the United States of America.
Mark C
President Barack Obama said that Muslims have the right to build a mosque near New York’s Ground Zero, but he did not say whether he believes it is a good idea to do so.
Come on, Mr President…be presidental. It is NOT a good idea, why can’t you just say that?
Rich in Vineyard Haven you are CLUELESS. Blame Bush for 3000 lives lost? While Bill Clinton did NOTHING for 8 years, terrorism against US interests went unpunished. The 1993 World trade center bombing, the USS Kohl, the Beirut marine baracks, various us embassies.. And Clinton was given the opportunity to take out Osama, but chose not too. Probably wouldn’t go over too well in the polls.. So get your head out of the sand. Bush is the first one except his Dad that had the guts to stand up to these MUSLIM TERRORISTS.
Well Obama knows he will always be welcome here. It was Ted Kennedy that put him in office otherwise the Clintons would be vacationing here. Where is Hillary anyway..maybe shes working.
It would be much better to see the Clinton’s there as we were always there when they were and they are the most friendly people I have ever met – my daughter went jogging with the President and Chelsea almost every day – they are truly so nice to “us” regular people. I wish it was Hilary there now and not who it is, we would be a better off country, I ask you all, what happened?
MR
Ah, Bob Fargo and Albert EInstein, two names that belong in the same sentence, it brings back memories, and Barack Obama to thank for it. I’m Bob and his fellow naysayers are pleased with the attendant tourism the President will bring to the island. But, Mr. Fargo is no doubt a summer resident…
Bush’s visits to Crawford were WORKING vacations…. more like TELECOMMUTING than vacations…
Crawford was a fully functioning Western White House, with communications and staff equivalent to the WH in DC… He hosted foreign dignitaries there as well…
In fact, throughout his Presidency, he had over 17 foreign dignitaries at Crawford. Not for vacations, but to deal with world business.
Instead of making a Comment I refer you to these two videos —>> Liberal Media Hypocrisy Test, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEr65ZX6gLw&feature=player_embedded — AND, .. Maxine Waters (D) Slip of the Tongue Reveals True Intentions (Socialism for America) ***… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrA9zj94NuU&feature=player_embedded ……….
PS — Paddy Moore, what say you this year, you still want a Tea Party with him?
I know the truth hurts, but how cold anyone except a moron blame Bill Clinton for 9/11? He wasn’t in office. Bush and Cheney were, and they were warned in August that the attacks were coming and they did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Bush was on his ranch and too busy playing cowboy to pay attention to the imminent attacks. They both should have resigned for failing to protect us and causing the deaths of 3000 Americans.
Disgusted:
Yes, too bad you couldn’t get those children out to work for their lunch although, no thanks to you, North Carolina has child labor laws. You must pay really good wages that people can make more on unemployment.
Nice of you from North Carolina to use our local paper to insult the President while he is on vacation.
I have no problem with people disagreeing with the administration’s policies, but your comments are way out of bounds. Did you reread what you wrote? Have you no shame whatsoever?
Were you born stupid and cruel or were these things you’ve worked on over the years? Perhaps, you might give some thought to reduce these features of your character.
Comments like yours remind me of a blog I saw recently:
That blogger wrote:
“Give an idiot a computer and he can criticize a genius.”
Oh, and yes, people, Mr. Obama is a genius. That does not necessarily mean that he’ll be a successful president (Herbert Hoover wasn’t) or that you have to agree with him, but don’t try to deny an obvious fact.
Al Qaeda hates America’s freedom and wants to change the way we live. How do we respond? By taking away an American freedom! So that’s a victory for Al Qaeda.
As for the “insensitivity” to 9/11 victims, there are already two mosques near the WTC site, not to mention Burger Kings, strip clubs and people selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton bags. Hey, I live there.
Oh, and didn’t we invade Iraq to free its people? Iraqis and Afghans, who we are also trying to free, are…muslims.
Based on the nasty and clueless commentary, I have to believe ‘Tom West Tisbury’ is really Rachel Maddow or Keith Oberman.
I am so saddened to hear on CNN that the owners of the Mansion House,members of our community, received vulgar and anti-Semitic remarks in their emails. The hate they have in their hearts is astounding. God bless our wonderful First Family. Thank you President Obama and all the Dems who voted to save jobs for our teachers, firefighters,and police.
A genius?
He can’t even talk without a teleprompter!
I used to like MV. Now that Obama’s been there, it seems tainted to me. I’ll never see MV as the same place now that he’s set foot there.
Tom, West Tisbury
I wasn’t aware that my right to free speech was limited to my own state. Is that a new law in Mass.?
Also, as far as I know every state has child labor laws, not just NC and I happen to support them. I’m still a little confused as to why you would suggest I hire the children. The comment about free lunch was meant to point out that the population of the school is underprivileged – must have been over your head. My children attended these schools (where did your children go to school?) and I volunteered 2 days a week helping children with math and reading. Every holiday, I was the parent that brought cupcakes for a party. I did all I could to help the children, including providing clothing for some of them. Where do you volunteer? How do you make a difference? Maybe if you actually had some practical experience working with these problems you would know how true my statements are. Our current social programs are not working and haven’t since FDR’s time. It is past time to overhaul that broken system. I am all for helping people, but not throwing my money away. How often are you in a low income housing area to see the problems for yourself? Where do you get your information? Maybe you should stop listening to the liberal media and find out the truth of the situation. Volunteering could be enlightening, but you would have to leave Martha’s Vineyard and enter the real world for that. And, yes I have been there and didn’t see any area like I’m speaking of on the island.
As far as the wages I pay, I have created around 30 jobs in my area. How many have you created? How much do you send to the state and federal unemployment fund each quarter? My small business spent well over a million dollars on wages last year. How much did you contribute to the economy? I won’t even get into how much I send the federal government for medicare and social security (in case you didn’t know, a business must match what the employees pay into those broken systems). Do you match anyone’s social security and medicare?
I will agree to disagree with you on the “genius” statement. There is more to intelligence than an IQ score. That man needs QUALIFIED help to advise him. Maybe someone who actually knows what they are talking about. That would be new.
I won’t even comment on the rest of your retort. I think it is fairly clear who is cruel and stupid (lacking practical experience).
Desandra, you need to learn some facts and stop drinking the Kool-Aid from FOX News. Bush and Cheney were both given specific warnings. Both claimed they would study the risks, but neither doing so. Their entire administration failed America in every possible way, despite numerous specific and personal warnings. Despite numerous specific and personal warnings that kept coming, right up until the days before the September 11 attacks, and they did NOTHING. It is hard to conceive of an administration being more incompetently reckless with our national security. It is hard to conceive of an administration being more derelict in their most important responsibility, resulting in the deaths of 3000 Americans.
I forgot to mention that I also pay the majority of my employees health insurance. Do you pay for anyone’s beside your family?
One more thing, Tom. The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for this Sunday shows that 25% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -17. It would appear more people would agree with me than you on how the “genius” is doing.
I hope it rains for the rest of Mr. Obama’s vacation. I will never address him has the President of the United States.
Love him or hate him; President Obama is president of our nation and leader of the free world. He is tasked with the most challenging and important job on the planet. The Obama family deserves to vacation anywhere they choose and our community should welcome and honor their stay as they should with any visitor. Let’s remember that the island of Martha’s Vineyard is vacation destination and tourism is the primary source of income for this small community. We should put our political difference aside and welcome the Obama family.
The Obama Haters are truly something to behold.
Obama could suck up all the oil in the Gulf through a drinking straw and cure cancer on his way back to the White House and they would still feel the same way as they do now. They will never concede a thing on his behalf regardless of what happens during his presidency. What they really want is a true intellect as Commander-in-Chief, someone with gravitas,experience and strength. Someone like Sarah Palin…
The dumbing down of America is truly upon us.
– Island Observer
“regarding the dumbing down”
Yes, in fact, you just proved it!
I respect the office of the president, I do not respect this office holder. Would we be better off if he took the rest of his term as vacation time?