Tax Deal Cutting Into Obama's Hawaiian Getaway

Someone break the news to Sasha and Malia: They may have to body surf the Hawaiian waves without dad this year. With Congress’ lame duck session likely headed into overtime, President Obama has resolved to stay in Washington to sign anything it passes, meaning he may not find himself en route to the Aloha State this weekend for his annual Christmas break as planned. “If Congress is here, the president will be here,” Robert Gibbs says, telling the press corps, “I think you’ve got a few extra days to pull together those Christmas presents that you put off buying.”

Technically, Obama could sign bills in Kailua, or anywhere else he wants—he signed the 2009 stimulus in Denver, for example. But the president has touted the bills Congress is working on as major priorities, so it might send the wrong message if he signed them between golf sessions, the Washington Post observes. (More Barack Obama stories.)