Obama, family head to Martha's Vineyard vacation

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-23 20:54

WASHINGTON: After giving a weakening hurricane time to blow past, President Barack Obama and his family head Sunday to a small island off the Massachusetts coast for the president's first vacation since taking office.

The Obamas planned to leave Andrews Air Force Base for Martha's Vineyard and a weeklong escape from Washington.

Obama, family head to Martha's Vineyard vacation

In this Aug. 21, 2009 file photo, President Barack Obama boards Marine One prior to departing the White House in Washington. [Agencies]

The worst of Hurricane Bill was expected to pass about 150 to 200 miles east of the island before Obama's arrival. The first family delayed their planned Sunday morning departure to mid-afternoon because of the weather, White House aides said.

Close Obama friends -- including White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and Chicago physician Eric Whitaker -- planned to join the family for what White House officials described as a long-overdue break from the daily jostling of Washington.

"There are no official events scheduled in the week ahead. I anticipate that he'll play golf a number of times," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Friday.

Ahead for the first family: 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.

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

"Just to reiterate: 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," top spokesman Gibbs told reporters, conveying a direct appeal from the Oval Office.

Anything Obama, though, was certain to be a commodity. Vendors are selling T-shirts with the first family's pictures and even promoting Bo, the first dog who will join the Obamas on the island. There are cupcakes and ice creams named for the Obamas and cardboard cutouts of the president in storefront windows.

The Vineyard is small, 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.