NBC's Ron Allen, on Monday's Today show, highlighted how the
residents on Martha's Vineyard are in a tizzy about the First Family
vacationing there as he gushed: "On the small island off the coast of
Massachusetts, there is Obama everything!" Allen then went on to
feature locals celebrating the arrival of the Obamas including a woman
excited about eateries naming dishes after the President like the
"Barack-O-Taco," the "Obamarita" and as Allen enthused: "Even an ice
cream called Barack My World."
While Allen did note the
politics of Martha's Vineyard, "lean to the political left," he did it
right before leading into video of a kid actually gasping "Gosh!" and
breaking out into a song and dance when she realized she had just seen
Obama:
RON ALLEN: However, this week, the Obamas have this laid back island, that tends to lean to the political left, buzzing.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN#2: It was him coming in? Oh wow! So we d
id see President Obama, didn't we?
(Clip of child gasping: "Gosh!" and starts dancing and singing, "Yeah! Yeah!")
The following is the full segment as it was aired on the August 24, Today show:
ANN CURRY: Now to the First Family's week-long vacation on Martha's Vineyard. President Obama may be away from Washington but will he be able to leave behind the debate over his plan for health care reform? NBC's Ron Allen is on Martha's Vineyard with more on this. Hey Ron, good morning.
RON ALLEN: Good morning to you Ann. Yes the White House insists this is a private family vacation. The only scheduled events: the President's arrival yesterday and his departure next Sunday. But Mr. Obama is trying to get away from Washington at a time that's been a very difficult month for him especially the fight for one of his signature issues, health care reform. As the First Family arrived on Martha's Vineyard, the President let the press know he's not trying to make news, but on the small island off the coast of Massachusetts, there is Obama everything.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: There's a Barack, Barack-O-Taco and there was an Obamarita - a drink.
ALLEN: Even an ice cream called Barack My World.
WOMAN: It was delicious. It was coffee with caramel swirls and Macadamia nuts.
ALLEN: The Obamas are staying at a 25-acre private estate in a secluded part of the island. Cost? $35,000 with the President picking up the tab. Golf, swimming, time with the family, including Bo.
(Footage of protestors)
ALLEN: But at this point in his presidency with his health care proposal facing opposition, even from Democrats, and bleak reports from the war in Afghanistan this week and election results due in days, observers suggest the President not stay away too long.
JOE LOCKHART, FORMER CLINTON PRESS SECRETARY: You can take the vacation but every day you're away, a day of work piles on. So he knows what's gonna be there when he comes back.
ALLEN: The fight over health care reform follows him here with opponents broadcasting TV ads this week, visible on Martha's Vineyard, criticizing Obama's vacation and his reform plan.
(Begin CPRights.org ad clip)
ANNOUNCER: The beach is nice this time of year but while President Obama vacations concerns mount about his health care plan.
(End clip)
ALLEN: A presidential historian thinks a few long walks on the beach might just help Obama.
DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: If he can use this time away to rethink his position in terms of where he's gonna be on the health care issue, he could well come back in a better frame of mind to really be able to deal with the real troubles that are gonna come down the hill in September and October.
ALLEN: However, this week, the Obamas have this laid back island, that tends to lean to the political left, buzzing.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN#2: It was him coming in? Oh wow! So we did see President Obama, didn't we?
(Clip of child gasping: "Gosh!" and starts dancing and singing, "Yeah! Yeah!")
ALLEN: There are countless rumors on this island about where the President might just stop by. However the White House says there are no plans for President Obama to visit senator Edward Kennedy over on nearby Cape Cod on Hyannisport. There's been a lot of speculation because the two are very close. Kennedy is very ill and improving the nation's health care system has been one of his biggest priorities. Ann?
CURRY: Alright, Ron Allen, this morning. Ron thanks a lot. I guess a lot of people on the island gonna be kinda doing this (points fingers in the air imitating dancing child) when they see Obama.
MATT LAUER: And eating that Barack My World ice cream. Absolutely.
-Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the Media Research Center.