Since he's taken office, Obama's hair is rapidly turning gray -- a standard pitfall of the presidency, along with the invariable criticism that comes with R & R.

"He took so much less time than any previous president," said Stephen Hess, a presidential expert at the Brookings Institution. "The idea of a one-week vacation -- it was almost like he was making some kind of a statement."

Modern presidents frequently take pains to avoid the presumed mistakes of their predecessors.

Former President George W. Bush's fierce punctuality and insistence on proper attire were generally attributed to former President Bill Clinton's lax attitude toward both.

In that spirit, Obama's leeriness of vacation appears in some ways a reaction to Bush's enthusiasm for it. In eight years, Bush spent all or part of 1,020 days on vacation -- or about 2.8 years, according to Mark Knoller of CBS News, unofficial White House statistician.

Obama's "staycation" this week, intended or not, looks like a politically aware nod to the tough economic times that have trimmed many Americans' holiday plans this year.

Lets face it though, the libs howled non stop about Bush being in Crawford but does anyone really think either of these guys puts on his out of office replies on e-mail and just takes a day off?

We asked Terry O'Neill, the new president of the National Organization for Women, what she thought of those Democratic women and others quietly complaining about a "boy's club" atmosphere at the White House, as exemplified by the president playing basketball earlier this month with 11 members of Congress and four Cabinet Secretaries -- all men.

As the New York Times and cable news chatter looked at whether the Obama White House is too fratty yesterday, President Obama brought along a woman golf partner for the first time in his 24 golf outings as president, domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes.

Is this much ado about nothing?

O'Neill says no.

Originally posted by Alxandro
ANOTHER OBAMA MILESTONE!!!

President Obama has already caught up with predecessor George W. Bush in one area: Rounds of golf.

The Oval's good friend Mark Knoller of CBS News reports that Obama on Sunday played his 24th round of golf since his inauguration Jan. 20 -- matching Bush's presidential total, which he racked up in two years and 10 months.

President Bush played his last round in 2003, telling reporters he didn't think it was appropriate to play the game with the U.S. at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

USA Today: The Oval

Geez, if it's not golf, it's basketball.
He continues to play and both he and his people keep blaming the current conditions on Bush.
Maybe they feel the "crisis" is not all that bad after all?

Seems Obama has more time to play play play and less time to work work work.

Let the spinning begin!

Originally posted by Alxandro
ANOTHER OBAMA MILESTONE!!!

President Obama has already caught up with predecessor George W. Bush in one area: Rounds of golf.

The Oval's good friend Mark Knoller of CBS News reports that Obama on Sunday played his 24th round of golf since his inauguration Jan. 20 -- matching Bush's presidential total, which he racked up in two years and 10 months.

President Bush played his last round in 2003, telling reporters he didn't think it was appropriate to play the game with the U.S. at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

USA Today: The Oval

Geez, if it's not golf, it's basketball.
He continues to play and both he and his people keep blaming the current conditions on Bush.
Maybe they feel the "crisis" is not all that bad after all?

Seems Obama has more time to play play play and less time to work work work.

Let the spinning begin!