Good news if you yourself are planning a trip to Martha's Vineyard and would like to enjoy some quiet time away, uninterrupted by motorcades. Bad news if you were looking forward to pictures of first family bike rides in the idyllic setting — or if you're a Republican who's been gearing up to criticize the president for taking a day off: It looks as if the Obamas are going to skip their vacation on the island this year, the Boston Globe reports:
After three consecutive summer vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, President Obama and his family apparently will not be relaxing on the island this year as a heated presidential campaign gathers momentum toward what is expected to be a close election.
The State Police detachment on the island has been told that the president will not be coming; extensive bookings to house the president’s staff and security have been canceled by the White House travel office; and the 28-acre waterfront estate in Chilmark where the Obamas stayed the last three years has been sold to a British couple.
“The word I have is that they are not coming this year,” said State Police Sergeant Thomas Medeiros, who said that notice came from the Secret Service…
Still, “I think the fun and the curiosity and the buzz that comes with this will be missed, quite frankly,” said Nancy Gardella, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce.
Read more at the Boston Globe.