In their quest for a quiet summer vacation on this posh resort island this week, President Barack Obama and his family have retreated to a 28-acre spread with a beach so private — it’s sealed off by the Secret Service — that the chances of a paparazzi photo of the president in his swim trunks are all but nil.
Immediately after arriving on Sunday afternoon, though, the Obamas’ “normal family vacation” got off to a not-so-normal start.
Dozens of people lined the roads to the family’s rented compound, waving and taking pictures as the Obamas rode by.
Later, Obama’s sandal-clad spokesman gave reporters a special message from the president: “He wants you to relax,” Bill Burton said, and “have a good time. Take some walks on the beaches.”
“Nobody,” Burton added, “is looking to make news.”