I know he grew up there and all. But if Obama's being smeared as a highfalutin celebrity who is somehow "other" and distant from the American heartland, is Hawaii really the ideal vacation destination? It sounds trivial but such things can resonate. (The RNC is already on the case.) John Kerry's staff asked him not to windsurf in the summer of 2004 and he didn't listen. The results are famous.
I might have counseled a nice cottage beside some Illinois lake with a wholesome name....
--Michael Crowley