President Obama and the First Family have kicked off their Hawaii vacation despite pessimistic attitudes in Congress regarding the current state of the economy. While the president admitted 2013 has been a rough year he is still hopeful about his next three years in office.
Every year the First Family decides to head back to the president’s birth state of Hawaii for a tropical vacation, but their plans are usually delayed due to an unsettled Congress.
This year, however, they actually started their vacation on time and President Obama kicked things off with a day of golf.
The First Family touched down in Hawaii on Friday and on Saturday the president was spotted out at a golf course near the Marine Corps base along with White House chef Sam Kass, trip director Marvin Nicholson, and close friend Bobby Titcomb.
Before the president could even begin what he hoped would be a quiet round of gold, onlookers had already lined up along the road to watch the president’s motorcade ride by.
Despite the large crowds the president was still seen smiling inside his vehicle while wearing a tan baseball cap, a white golf shirt and a pair of sunglasses.
First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia weren’t spotted out during the president’s golf trip but they were likely enjoying some peace and quiet at the beachside home in Kailua where the First Family will be staying during their vacation.
The first dogs Sunny and Bo were also brought along on the trip.
The peaceful atmosphere of Hawaii’s breathtaking shores is exactly what the president and First Family need after a rough end to 2013.
The items on President Obama’s to-do list that earned his re-election in 2012 have slowly, but surely been shot down one-by-one.
The National Rifle Association has remained strong against gun reform proposals and ultimately won the fight against President Obama’s wish for more gun control.
Then the laugh of the Affordable Health Care Act was crippled by server website issues and a complicated user interface that prevented many people from even completing the enrollment process.
Ultimately, the president’s approval ratings were pushed down to levels that closely match those of President Bush. With more serious problems awaiting solutions it’s likely that the beginning of 2014 will be a pivotal moment for the president and his administration.
“It was a terrible year,” said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. “It can be rescued. There are good reasons to believe he will end his presidency in better shape than today.”
President Obama also felt like 2013 brought along some serious challenges but he is hopeful about what the following three years may bring.
During a recent press conference the president said “2014 can be a breakthrough year for America” despite 2013 being a year full of “near-death experiences.”
The president hopes to deliver on this statement and in order to do so he has been careful not to become too relaxed while on his family vacation.
In addition to hitting the golf course, President Obama spent Saturday conferring with top advisers about the ongoing tense situation in South Sudan.
