Washington: US President Barack Obama on Friday started a 10-day vacation, briefly breaking off from debates on the country's health care reform and other key issues.
According to the White House, Obama left the presidential residence in the afternoon aboard a Marine helicopter to Camp David outside the capital with his family and dog, and then they would head on Sunday morning to a vineyard in the eastern state of Massachusetts.
"I think he's going to spend a decent part of his time relaxing with his family," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said at a press briefing. "There are no official events scheduled in the week ahead. I anticipate that he'll play golf a number of times."
However, he did not disclose who would play golf with the president, although a report by the Boston Herald said that Tiger Woods would be included.
"I have no idea if he's going to golf with Tiger Woods," Gibbs said.
The vacation was considered a retreat from the debates over the Obama administration's health care policy reform, which have been continuing for months.
But Gibbs said that the president will still continue to "touch base with members of Congress in the House and the Senate on the Finance Committee to check in with them about progress that's being made".
IANS
First Published: Saturday, August 22, 2009, 10:17