Hawaii hosts most presidential holidays

Melbourne, Dec 29: Guess what is U S President Barack Obama's favourite spot for vacation? Yes, it is Hawaii. Now his aides are wondering whether his favourite spot for vacationing Hawaii will go down in history as a place to host most of his presidential holidays.

Although Franklin Roosevelt briefly ran the country during World War II from an office in the Royal Hawaiian hotel in Honolulu. Most American Presidents tended to stick to familiar locations for their vacations-Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan spent long periods in California, while Lyndon Johnson and George W Bush were devoted to their ranches in Texas.

However, Obama has spent 14 of his first 18 years in Hawaii, and has written extensively about his love for the islands and the benefits he feels from returning there. Even Charles Ogletree, a Harvard law professor and close family friend, says that one can "see the pressure released from his (Obama's) body" whenever he returns to Hawaii.

Last week, according to the Australian, Obama found that there were distinct personal and political advantages to his secluded holiday compound at the end of the two and a half mile beach at Kailua, about a 30-minute drive through the Koolau mountains from Honolulu.

The luxury property is said to offer sweeping Pacific views and spacious marble interiors.
Telling about another reason why Obama may return often to Hawaii, John McCormick of the Chicago Tribune said: "It has been a very news-free trip," and that is exactly what Obama was hoping for.

ANI