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Obama visits military base on Christmas
Comes as he spends a private holiday with his family in Hawaii
KAILUA, Hawaii - President-elect Barack Obama visited U.S. military families
while they ate Christmas Day dinner, thanking them for their service and
posing for pictures.
Obama on Thursday visited Marine Corps Base Hawaii near his rented vacation
home and briefly chatted with enlisted members who ate turkey, ham and
roast beef. He didn't make formal remarks or speak to reporters during the stop,
one of the few public sightings of the president-elect on what aides call
a private family vacation.
"Hey," Obama said as he walked into the mess hall wearing a short-sleeved
shirt and slacks. "Just wanted to say 'hi.'" Obama lingered a few minutes at
each table as the Marines and sailors and their families stood to greet their
next commander in chief. At other tables, the visitors ate candied sweet
potatoes with marshmallow topping, mashed potatoes and simmered corn
and broccoli.
"What part of Indiana?" he asked one person. To another: "This is the East
Coast table, huh?"
Obama and his family planned to spend their Christmas holiday mostly out
of sight, an accomplishment given his two-year, high-profile marathon to win
the presidency. Obama, wife Michelle and their two young daughters opened
presents earlier Thursday and planned their own dinner of turkey and ham,
according to aides. They did not release any other details.
Message to the military
The Obamas arrived in Honolulu on Saturday with four aides, his Secret Service
detail and a small group of journalists. Since then, he has been largely
sequestered at the beachfront estate.
On Christmas Eve, Obama's aides released a recorded message of appreciation
to the military "serving their second, third or even fourth tour of duty."
"This holiday season, their families celebrate with a joy that is muted knowing
that a loved one is absent, and sometimes in danger," Obama said in the message,
set to air Saturday morning. "In towns and cities across America, there is an empty
seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and
women can only wonder at the look on their child's face as they open a gift back home."
Obama asked the country to look to George Washington's improbable crossing on the
Delaware River on Christmas Day as inspiration to get through current tough times.
The president-elect said in a holiday message that Washington and his army "faced
impossible odds" as they fought against the British on Dec. 25, 1776, the day they
surprised Hessian forces and won victories that gave new momentum and hope to
American independence.
A very private holiday
With less a month before Obama takes office on Jan. 20, he is taking every step
possible to make sure this holiday is as private as possible — something he
bemoaned while walking to a driving range last Sunday. "OK, guys," Obama said,
recognizing the photographers snapping pictures. "Come on. ... How many shots
do you need?"
That was one of only a handful of trips Obama and his motorcade have taken.
He and Michelle Obama have visited Marine Corps Base Hawaii for daily morning
workouts. Twice, he and friends have played a round of golf. He attended a private
memorial service for his grandmother on Tuesday and scattered her ashes into
the Pacific Ocean.
And that's been it.
While the Democratic president-elect vacations in his native Hawaii through the New
Year, he and his aides have taken careful steps to minimize his profile. He has no
public schedule while vacationing, although he remains involved in transition plans
and has received intelligence briefings.
While Obama's aides have taken steps to keep the vacation low-profile, he hasn't
been entirely successful. Photographers captured images of him scattering his
grandmother's ashes from a rock ledge on Tuesday while the press corps waited
in a bus. Another photographer captured the future first family — including a
shirtless Obama — in the backyard.
The Secret Service has blocked the street where he is staying, citing security
concerns. A few cars a day have rolled into the dead-end street, but they did
not get past the checkpoint. And a few neighbors who tried to walk past the
house on Christmas Day were rebuffed by agents.
One man left with an aide a Christmas card addressed to the Obama family.
It featured a palm tree with the word "peace" written on it.
Comes as he spends a private holiday with his family in Hawaii
KAILUA, Hawaii - President-elect Barack Obama visited U.S. military families
while they ate Christmas Day dinner, thanking them for their service and
posing for pictures.
Obama on Thursday visited Marine Corps Base Hawaii near his rented vacation
home and briefly chatted with enlisted members who ate turkey, ham and
roast beef. He didn't make formal remarks or speak to reporters during the stop,
one of the few public sightings of the president-elect on what aides call
a private family vacation.
"Hey," Obama said as he walked into the mess hall wearing a short-sleeved
shirt and slacks. "Just wanted to say 'hi.'" Obama lingered a few minutes at
each table as the Marines and sailors and their families stood to greet their
next commander in chief. At other tables, the visitors ate candied sweet
potatoes with marshmallow topping, mashed potatoes and simmered corn
and broccoli.
"What part of Indiana?" he asked one person. To another: "This is the East
Coast table, huh?"
Obama and his family planned to spend their Christmas holiday mostly out
of sight, an accomplishment given his two-year, high-profile marathon to win
the presidency. Obama, wife Michelle and their two young daughters opened
presents earlier Thursday and planned their own dinner of turkey and ham,
according to aides. They did not release any other details.
Message to the military
The Obamas arrived in Honolulu on Saturday with four aides, his Secret Service
detail and a small group of journalists. Since then, he has been largely
sequestered at the beachfront estate.
On Christmas Eve, Obama's aides released a recorded message of appreciation
to the military "serving their second, third or even fourth tour of duty."
"This holiday season, their families celebrate with a joy that is muted knowing
that a loved one is absent, and sometimes in danger," Obama said in the message,
set to air Saturday morning. "In towns and cities across America, there is an empty
seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and
women can only wonder at the look on their child's face as they open a gift back home."
Obama asked the country to look to George Washington's improbable crossing on the
Delaware River on Christmas Day as inspiration to get through current tough times.
The president-elect said in a holiday message that Washington and his army "faced
impossible odds" as they fought against the British on Dec. 25, 1776, the day they
surprised Hessian forces and won victories that gave new momentum and hope to
American independence.
A very private holiday
With less a month before Obama takes office on Jan. 20, he is taking every step
possible to make sure this holiday is as private as possible — something he
bemoaned while walking to a driving range last Sunday. "OK, guys," Obama said,
recognizing the photographers snapping pictures. "Come on. ... How many shots
do you need?"
That was one of only a handful of trips Obama and his motorcade have taken.
He and Michelle Obama have visited Marine Corps Base Hawaii for daily morning
workouts. Twice, he and friends have played a round of golf. He attended a private
memorial service for his grandmother on Tuesday and scattered her ashes into
the Pacific Ocean.
And that's been it.
While the Democratic president-elect vacations in his native Hawaii through the New
Year, he and his aides have taken careful steps to minimize his profile. He has no
public schedule while vacationing, although he remains involved in transition plans
and has received intelligence briefings.
While Obama's aides have taken steps to keep the vacation low-profile, he hasn't
been entirely successful. Photographers captured images of him scattering his
grandmother's ashes from a rock ledge on Tuesday while the press corps waited
in a bus. Another photographer captured the future first family — including a
shirtless Obama — in the backyard.
The Secret Service has blocked the street where he is staying, citing security
concerns. A few cars a day have rolled into the dead-end street, but they did
not get past the checkpoint. And a few neighbors who tried to walk past the
house on Christmas Day were rebuffed by agents.
One man left with an aide a Christmas card addressed to the Obama family.
It featured a palm tree with the word "peace" written on it.