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Obamas spend quiet Christmas in Hawaii
Dec 26, 2008, 0:22 GMT
US President-elect Barack Obama greets well wishers after working out at the gym at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay in Kailua, Hawaii, 24 December 2008. Obama wished them "Mele Kalikimaka" which is Hawaiian for "Merry Christmas". EPA/Joaquin Siopack/POOL
Washington - President-elect Barack Obama and his family spent a quiet Christmas Thursday at a luxury beachfront rental home in Hawaii, in what will likely be his last retreat before his inauguration on January 20.
Accompanied by wife Michelle and their daughters - Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7 - the family opened gifts in the morning and were later joined by close friends from Chicago, Marty Nesbitt, a businessman who was treasurer of his presidential campaign and physician Eric Whitaker.
The Obamas were to eat a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey and ham, and they had decorated a natural Christmas tree, Bloomberg news quoted spokesman Ben LaBolt as saying.
Obama spent much of his childhood in Hawaii and in recent years has vacationed on the island every Christmas.
His vacation has attracted a lot of attention, from locals and the swarming media. Paparazzi photographs of the bare-chested politician have been splashed across newspapers, websites and magazines around the world.
There is also much curiosity about the vacation house, which is estimated to have a market value of some 10 million dollars and can be rented for a minimum of 3,000 dollars a night.
On Tuesday, Obama held a private memorial service for his grandmother Madelyn Dunham, who died shortly before his historic victory in November. The president-elect and his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, scattered Dunham's ashes in the ocean after the service.
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Older Talkback
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it's amazing no matter what Pres elect Obama does the repubs aren't happy.
if he spends the time with the poor as he did Thanksgiving they claim its a photo opp.
If he decides to to take time off at a friend's retreat that isn't one he owns such as the multimillion ranch in crawford, tx, he's seen as someone unsimpathetic to the needs of the poor.
Obama knows about the poor he's spent the last 8 years helping the poor in Chicago. I don't know why he bothers to offer an olive branch to the repubs because no matter what he does all they can do is complain and whine as a result of sour grapes from losing the election due to the fact their candidate has driven the economy in a ditch.
Obama happens to be spending his Christmas with family where he grew up, and as far as where he's staying - like he could just stay anywhere in his capacity now. He would need a fairly secluded, secure place - not exactly like he could stay at the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki! Critics need to give it a rest - there are more urgent problems to be concerned about!
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I am unworthy o great oneDec 26th, 2008 - 05:46:38
'Barack Obama and his family spent a quiet Christmas Thursday at a luxury beachfront'
Its good to see Obama and his message of Change put into practice this holiday season. I can't think of a better way for a guy so concerned with the unemployed, food lines, the homeless, the poor and the destitute to spend his holiday season than at a 10 million dollar luxury beach house enjoying pate and caviar.
I hope someday to be found worthy enough to donate an organ or two to help fund the cause. Praise be to Change!
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