米歇爾迎50歲生日奧巴馬送逍遙假期

Obama’s birthday gift to his wife? Time off, alone

中國日報網 2014-01-07 17:07

米歇爾迎50歲生日奧巴馬送逍遙假期

US President Barack Obama (2nd L) and his daughters Malia (C) and Sasha (3rd R) board Air Force One upon their departure from Honolulu to return to Washington after a two-week vacation in Hawaii January 4, 2014.

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President Barack Obama is going to give his wife the birthday present that many parents can only dream of - time off, alone, without the children.

The White House said on Saturday first lady Michelle Obama would stay in Hawaii, where the family has been on vacation for the last two weeks, rather than return home with her husband and their two girls.

"As part of her birthday gift from the president, the first lady will remain in Hawaii to spend time with friends ahead of her upcoming 50th birthday," a White House official said.

The president was leaving Honolulu late on Saturday after a vacation that was filled with several games of golf and dinners out. He and his children are scheduled to arrive in Washington on Sunday morning.

The Associated Press compiled a list of how President Obama spent his last day of vacation in Hawaii on Saturday:

- WEEKLY ADDRESS: Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address to urge Congress to reinstate job benefits for more than 1 million Americans. The president said failing to do so will cause the economy to slow.

A Senate proposal would extend the benefits for three months. Obama says he will sign it if it passes.

- HIKING: Obama and his wife went on a brief morning hike Saturday, visiting a popular trail near their Kailua vacation home that overlooks the ocean.

- GOLF: The president played one last round of golf at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, having hit the links frequently during his trip.

- DINNER: For their final dinner in Hawaii on this trip, the Obamas went to Buzz's Lanikai, a steakhouse and seafood restaurant across the street from Kailua Beach Park that has been a regular stop for the family on previous vacations.

- DEPARTURE WITHOUT MICHELLE: Obama and his daughters departed Honolulu on Saturday night to go back to Washington.

美國媒體報道，奧巴馬將送給妻子一份許多母親夢寐以求的生日禮物——無需照顧孩子，繼續在夏威夷逍遙度假。

1月4日晚9點，奧巴馬和他的兩個女兒乘坐“空軍一號”離開州首府檀香山的珍珠港，8小時后，飛機降落在華盛頓，但他的妻子米歇爾并未同機返回。

“第一夫人將馬上迎來她的50歲生日，作為來自總統的禮物，第一夫人將呆在夏威夷和朋友們在一起，”白宮的一份簡短聲明稱。米歇爾將在本月17日迎來自己的生日。

***費用不菲

奧巴馬送給米歇爾的這項逍遙假期大禮價值不菲，米歇爾單獨旅行意味著額外的安保費用，可能部分將由納稅人承擔。在此前的度假中，因為米歇爾先于奧巴馬出發前往夏威夷，給財政部增加的額外成本估計至少有6.3萬美元，并且有可能高達10萬美元。

米歇爾一直因度假飽受爭議，從2010年和朋友在西班牙奢華度假開始，她先后在巴哈馬、馬撒葡萄園島和緬因州海岸度假。

2013年12月21日，奧巴馬又攜妻子米歇爾，帶著12歲的女兒薩莎和15歲的女兒瑪莉亞到夏威夷度假。

美聯社匯總了奧巴馬在夏威夷度假最后一天的日程安排：

演講：在每周廣播演講和互聯網演講中，奧巴馬要求國會恢復逾100萬人的就業福利。奧巴馬稱，不這樣做會導致經濟增長減速。

散步：4日早晨，奧巴馬和妻子在所居住的海景房周邊散步。

高爾夫：奧巴馬在夏威夷海軍基地打了最后一桿高爾夫，度假過程中他經常從事這項運動。