Browsing in a bookstore Friday on Martha’s Vineyard, President Obama’s purchase of a novel was such big news, deputy press secretary Bill Burton promptly tweeted it.
“Fyi, the President purchased a copy of Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom at the book store just now,” Burton alerted his nearly 12,000 Twitter followers, which include many White House reporters.
Journalists for days had been asking about Obama’s reading list for the 10 days the family is spending on the Vineyard – under a general assumption the president may finally give himself time off.
Whether Obama’s choice of a book titled “Freedom” was an intentional presidential metaphor on escaping the pressures of Washington seems unlikely. Burton said the agenda also includes ice cream.
“While he’s here he’s probably going to spend some time playing some basketball out where he’s staying, going to the beach,” Burton said. “I have a feeling he’s going to get some ice cream – he’s a big fan of the ice cream on this island.”
For Obama, the crush of events in his presidency are taking a visible toll. For such a youthful leader – he recently turned 49 – Obama sometimes appears listless and dispirited.
The family trip to a resort island off the coast of Massachusetts is Obama’s ninth vacation, according to Mark Knoller of CBS News, the unofficial statistician of the White House.
While that may sound like a lot to stressed and vacation-needy Americans, it’s not much compared with former President George W. Bush. Obama so far has taken all or part of 70 vacation days, according to Knoller.
At this same point in his presidency, Bush had spent all or part of 225 days on vacation, either at Camp David or his ranch in Texas.
“I think Americans understand that when you have small kids like the Obamas do, they grow up so fast and you need to spend time with them, even if you are president of the United States,” said Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida.
Chelsea Clinton’s recent nuptials underscored the importance tight family bonds mean to presidential families, MacManus said.
Obama demonstrably can use a break. Gallup recently measured his job approval at 41 percent. He has earned little traction from the end of the oil spill crisis or the conclusion of combat missions in Iraq.
The sluggish economy continues to flummox Obama, who returns at the end of the month to resume campaigning and preside over Middle East peace negotiations.
“Presidents need a change of location, a change of scenery and a change of pace,” said Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University. “They never completely shed the job, but they do have to clear their mind.”
Obama often departs for vacation in earnest, then finds his leisure curtailed by events. Although he has so far kept major news at bay, Obama is still receiving daily briefings and updates from staff.
Obama last year used his vacation time on Martha’s Vineyard to announce the reappointment of Ben Bernanke to chair the Federal Reserve Board. He later cut the trip short to attend Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s funeral.
