President Barack Obama, three days into an eyebrow-raising summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, already is gearing up for another fundraiser, this one tonight on the island, an affluent summer colony off Cape Cod, notes Grumpy Editor.
With the president in a rented three-story, seven bedroom, 8,100-square-foot home on the island over the next two weeks are wife Michelle, daughter Malia and dogs Bo and Sunny. The vacation comes at a time of mounting crisis in Iraq with U.S. air strikes on terrorists, Hamas threatening major escalation in rocket strikes on Israel and widening problems stemming from illegals crossing the southern border.
Added to all this, a secondary political attraction arrives Wednesday when former First Lady Hillary Clinton is scheduled to arrive on the island for a book-signing event.
Meanwhile, some Martha’s Vineyard merchants --- such as ice cream shops and restaurants --- are excited, feeling that the president’s presence on the island will boost business in a season that has been slow.
They overlook grumbling from others stemming from heightened security activity in the air and on the ground plus road delays and slow traffic as presidential motorcades make their way around the island to a golf course, a restaurant or to other locations such as in the past --- bicycle rides.
Among major growlers: private fliers.
With the president on the island, the Federal Aviation Administration has instituted a 30-nautical mile perimeter temporary flight restriction for Martha’s Vineyard that runs through 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, reveals Sara Brown, Vineyard Gazette reporter.
Obama was off to a golf course within 30 minutes of arrival on Saturday.
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In discussing the thousands of young illegals showing up at the southern border, Vice President Joe Biden declares: "These are not somebody else's kids. These are our kids."