Obama cuts Christmas break short
2012-12-26 08:01
Honolulu - President Barack Obama will cut short his traditional Christmas
holiday in Hawaii, planning to leave for Washington on Wednesday evening as he
and lawmakers consider how to prevent the economy from going over the so-called
"fiscal cliff".
Obama was expected to arrive in
Washington early on Thursday, the White House said on Tuesday night. First lady
Michelle Obama and the couple's two daughters will remain in Hawaii.
In the past, the president's
end-of-the-year holiday in his native state had stretched into the new year.
The first family had left Washington last Friday.
Congress was expected to return to
Washington on Thursday. Before he departed for Hawaii, Obama told reporters he
expected to be back in the capital the following week.
Unless Obama and Congress can reach a
deal to avert the "fiscal cliff,"automatic budget cuts and tax
increases are set to begin in January, which many economists say could send the
US back into recession. So far, the president and congressional Republicans
have been unable to reach agreement on any alternatives.
Lawmakers have expressed little but
pessimism for the prospect of an agreement coming before January 1. On Sunday,
Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas said she expects any action in
the waning days of the year to be "a patch because in four days we can't
solve everything".
The Obamas were spending the holiday at a
rented home near Honolulu. On Christmas Day, the president and first lady
visited with members of the military to express thanks for their service.
"One of my favourite things is
always coming to base on Christmas Day just to meet you and say thank
you," the president said at Marine Corps Base Hawaii's Anderson Hall. He
said that being commander in chief was his greatest honour as president.
Obama took photos with individual service
members and their families.
On Christmas Eve, Obama called members of
the military to thank them for serving the nation, then joined his family for
dinner, the White House said. The Obamas opened gifts Christmas morning, ate
breakfast and sang carols.
Friends were joining the Obamas for
Christmas dinner on Tuesday night, the White House said.
- AP
