President’s vacation mixes golf, workout and a call to Russia
President Barack Obama golfs the Klipper Golf Course on the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Hawaii, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama golfs the Klipper Golf Course on the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe, Hawaii, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama golfs the Klipper Golf Course on the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Hawaii, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama , wearing a maile lei, waves after deplaning from Force One as he arrives at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 to start his vacation. To the right are Hawaii Sen.Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, in the gray coat, and far right is Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. Obama gave them a ride home on Air Force One. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The star atop a Christmas tree is seen next to a palm tree, while President Barack Obama, not seen, visits Marine Corps Base Hawaii, in Kaneohe, Hawaii, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama's motorcade passes past a security checkpoint at the rental home where the first family is spending their vacation in Kailua, Hawaii., Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
After a little bit of work and a morning workout, President Barack Obama hit the links on his first day of vacation in Hawaii.
The president spent yesterday afternoon golfing with childhood friends from Hawaii, Bobby Titcomb and Mike Ramos, as well as Eric Whitaker, a pal from Chicago, at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course overlooking the ocean at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
A media pool report said it is believed to be Obama’s first full golf outing since Oct. 24, when the president played 18 holes at the Andrews Air Force Base course.
Obama returned at 4:45 p.m. to his rented vacation home in Kailua, where he is expected to spend the rest of the night.
Obama began his Hawaii vacation with what’s become a morning routine — a gym workout via motorcade.
He also made a work-related phone call to Russian President Medvedev to discuss the new START treaty and other issues, the White House Press Office said. The discussions included Afghanistan, Iran sanctions and the situation in Kyrgyzstan and the two leaders wished each other a Merry Christmas, the White House said.
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About eight hours after arriving in Hawaii, Obama’s motorcade left the Kailua compound where he is staying for the Marine Corps Base Hawaii gym.
Pool reporters traveling with the president said the motorcade left at 8:16 a.m. and arrived on base at 8:23 a.m. Honolulu police blocked traffic to allow the caravan to move uninterrupted to the nearby Marine base.
He ducked into the gym without being spotted by cameras.
The motorcade left the base at 9:26 a.m. and returned to the vacation home at 9:33.
A man in the neighborhood where the president is staying told reporters that first dog Bo was seen on the beach earlier in the morning.
The president arrived in the islands late Wednesday night, joining his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha who arrived on Saturday.
The president is due to stay through New Year’s.
This is the third straight year Obama, his family and friends have stayed at the same group of rented homes on Kailua Bay.
The Associtated Press contributed to this story.
