Frankly, I’m not really sure why he even suggested this in the first place. Virtually everyone agrees that the president deserves -- and is entitled to -- a vacation, even if a sitting president is never really, so to speak, “off the clock.”
Nevertheless, back in 2008, that’s exactly what then-Senator Obama did: he essentially pledged, if elected president, to forgo the finer things in life (including generous vacation time) to devote himself entirely to the political office for which he was running.
For my part, I don’t begrudge the president for taking long vacations. After all, he can fulfill many if not all of his presidential responsibilities from pretty much anywhere. But it is amusing that a president who is often criticized for vacationing too much -- and at too high a cost -- actually said this on the campaign trail in 2008 (via Weasel Zippers).
“You give me this office and, in turn, my fears, doubts, insecurities, foibles, need for sleep, family life, vacations, leisure is gone. I am giving myself to you."
However, on Saturday, President Obama left Washington for a two-week vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.