On The Road

President Obama hits the road this week for a three day, five state campaign swing, lending some election muscle to a variety of Democratic candidates around the country.

First stop today is Wisconsin, where President Obama will try to give a boost to a former Congressman named Tom Barrett, who is running for Governor.  Barrett is currently the Mayor of Milwaukee.

After that campaign event, it’s off to Los Angeles for a Democratic National Committee fundraiser for the President.

On Tuesday, the President goes to Seattle to help boost Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) who is in a tough race against Republican Dino Rossi.

On Wednesday, the Obama Express will stop in Columbus, Ohio, where the President do events for both Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Democratic Party.  Later on Wednesday, it’s down to the Sunshine State for a Florida Democratic Party fundraiser.

It will be the President’s second visit to Florida in recent days, as he spent Saturday and Sunday in and around Panama City, part vacation and part checkup on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of the BP oil spill.

The President, First Lady and one of their daughters (the other is at camp) got in a swim, had dinner out, stopped off for ice cream and played miniature golf as well.

The ice cream stop was just before the First Family headed back to the airport for their flight home on Sunday.

The White House Pool report had a great piece of color about that:

“Motorcade made a quick stop at Bruster’s ice cream stand,” the report stated, adding that “the press van stopped right in front of a Hooters.  Waitresses in orange shorts ran out to get a glimpse of the First Family, but were kept at bay by Secret Service.”

There was also some good color from their stop at “Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf” on Saturday for a little miniature golf.

“(The President) got a hole in one and instantly looked over at pool as if to say, pretty good eh? And probably to make sure it was caught on tape,” the pool report said.

One thing you can be sure of is that the word “Hooters” probably won’t be part of the Pool reports coming from the Obama’s upcoming vacation, which begins on Thursday, when they go to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

I must note that the White House schedule for this week had this explanation:

“On Thursday, the Obama family will travel to Martha’s Vineyard. After a busy and productive July, they are looking forward to returning to Martha’s Vineyard to spend time together as a family before heading back to Washington on the 29th.”