Published August 24, 2010

President Obama is spending a rainy week on Martha’s Vineyard with his family (though he doesn’t travel light). And reporters are watching his every move — that is, every move they’re allowed to watch.

Every day, a designated pool reporter files updates with the press office, which then forwards the dispatches to all of us. Some are trivial, others amusing. The updates inspired me to create a POTUS Pool Miniblog on Tumblr

You can also follow this post (or the RSS feed) for the latest details on the vineyard vacation, unfiltered and unedited.

Sent: Wed Aug 25 18:22:04 2010

After nine holes of golf, the president returned to Blue Heron Farm. The White House issued a full lid at 6:04 p.m.

Sent: Wed Aug 25 18:20:14 2010

As the president’s foursome moved up the ninth fairway at Mink Meadows, a crowd of about 40 people gathered on the porch of the pro shop. The president’s approach shot rolled about 15 yards short of the ninth green, and about 40 yards short of the flag. He walked into the woods to the right of the fairway for a short time, apparently searching for a ball hit there by another member of the foursome. The president drove his golf cart to the green, and waved to the crowd just before setting over his chip shot.With a smooth stroke, he landed the chip shot about six feet to the right of the pin. The crowd oohed, aahhed, and applauded warmly. The president walked onto the green, and pool reporters were instructed to load back into press vans, out of view of the foursome as they finished the round.

Sent: Wed Aug 25 15:59:25 2010

The president, first family and guests ate in an inside dining room at Nancy’s. They left at about 3:00 p.m. On the way out of the restaurant, the president stopped to shake hands with a crowd of people gathered on Nancy’s elevated outdoor deck. The motorcade took a route through the Martha’s Vineyard Campmeeting Association campgrounds, passing by the Tabernacle as residents of the familiar gingerbread cottages waved.

The president’s motorcade then traveled out to Mink Meadows, a nine hole golf course in the West Chop neighborhood of Vineyard Haven. According to a White House staffer, the president will play in a foursome with Eric Whittaker, Marvin Nicholson, and Robert Wolf. He is expected to play only nine holes.

Pool reporters were stopped well short of the course, with no view of the president’s golf outing.

Sent: Wed Aug 25 14:29:55 2010

POTUS and the first family left Blue Heron Farm at about 1:35 p.m., traveled to Oak Bluffs, where the president and a large contingent of friends went briefly to an inside dining room at Nancy’s, a large seafood restaurant on Oak Bluffs Harbor. The president could be seen in a second floor window talking with people inside.

POTUS came back out the front door and went to the takeout window at Nancy’s, joined soon by FLOTUS. She turned to the crowd after ordering, with a big smile, and said “How y’all doing? Drying out? Finally!” The crowd responded warmly. The president and the first lady then turned and shook hands with many in the crowd. The president said “We’re ordering shrimp, c’mon,” possible referring to his efforts to promote the shrimping and fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico, following the BP oil spill.

The restaurant is owned by Joseph Moujabbar of Oak Bluffs, who visited with the Obama’s as they ordered fried seafood.

The president made his way back to his vehicle and waited for his food.

Afterward,Taylor Wolfson, said he shook the president’s hand. “I told him I was honored to meet him, I told him I was a Republican. He said ‘good to see you’” Mr. Wolfson said.

Joining the president were a familiar gaggle of friends and vacation golf partners, including Eric and Cheryl Whitaker, Valerie Jarrett., and Ann Marchant. Also scheduled to accompany the first family on the takeout outing were George and Clarice Wallace and family, David Wilkins, and Elizabeth Alexander.

Many of the same people visited Nancy’s restaurant last year for fried seafood.

Sent: Tue Aug 24 22:35:46 2010

At 10 pm, POTUS and FLOTUS left the State Road restaurant, walking into a
misty night lit up by flashbulbs from waiting pool, after two and one half
hour dinner. POTUS told the pool he was “having a great time” despite the
weather and has been “doing a lot of reading”.

Sent: Tue Aug 24 18:34:51 2010

After spirited Nerf football contest outside the farm, pool is loaded and
holding.

Sent: Mon Aug 23 15:09:17 2010

POTUS departed Blue Heron Farm at about 3:45 arrived at Oak Bluffs Elementary School at about 4 p.m. We are told he is playing basketball inside with staffers. Holding…

Sent: Mon Aug 23 12:24:12 2010

Lid until mid afternoon.

Sent: Sun Aug 22 14:25:25 2010

This afternoon the President played golf with long-time Chicago friend Eric Whitaker, White House trip director Marvin Nicholson and regular Vineyard vacationer Bill Lewis at the Vineyard Golf Club. He left the Vineyard Golf Club at 1:05 and returned to Blue Heron Farm at 1:20. White House issues a lid at 2:25.

Sent: Sun Aug 22 10:58:14 2010

The presidential motorcade pulled out of Blue Heron Farm at a little before 8:30 this morning, driving past a group of curious onlookers at Alley’s General Store and turned right down Edgartown-West Tisbury Road. It arrived at The Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown around 8:45. The sky was overcast with an itermittent light drizzle as the President played golf. Will update on golf partners.

Sent: Sat Aug 21 16:01:10 2010

The motorcade exited Oyster Watcha Road at 3:43 p.m., traveling back the same route along Edgartown-West Tisbury Road.

The motorcade reached Blue Heron Farm about 10 minutes later.

Very few people were observed along the way, until the motorcade reached Alley’s General Store, where a crowd of about 20 people stood on the front porch to watch the motorcade go by.

We’re told the president purchased the new novel “Freedom” by Jonathan Franzen at Bunch of Grapes. A follow-up to his National Book Award-winning “The Corrections,” the book is a 576-page family drama.

Departed Blue Heron Farm at 1:20 for the Vineyard Golf Club, the islands private links. POTUS is expected to play 18. We don’t know who is in his foursome.

Sent: Sat Aug 21 15:57:53 2010

The president and family left Blue Heron Farm at 11:00 a.m., traveled along Edgartown-West Tisbury Road, into the town of Edgartown. The motorcade turned down Oyster Watcha Road, a narrow, dusty dirt road that leads to a private beach near Oyster Pond, on the south side of the Island. The first family will have a picnic on the beach, according to a White House staffer. The president visited the same beach during his Martha’s Vineyard vacation last year.

The weather is very pleasant for a beach day, with temperatures in the 70’s, mostly sunny with a few high thin clouds overhead.

A scattering of people watched the 15 vehicle motorcade along the route. A couple on roller blades standing at the entrance to Martha’s Vineyard Airport, dressed from head to toe in protective gear, applauded with raised haqnds as the motorcade passed. A small gaggle of people gathered at the end of Barnes Road waved and smiled.

Pool reporters did not see POTUS, and have been advised we are not likely to see the him at any point in the day.

Sent: Sat Aug 21 16:04:52 2010

The White House issues a full lid, 4:03 p.m.

Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 11:28 AM

The motorcade with POTUS, Malia and Sasha left Blue Heron Farm shortly after 11 a.m. for Vineyard Haven. The president and the two girls visited Bunch of Grapes bookstore and spent about 15 minutes inside.

The Bunch of Grapes is a small, independent bookstore that has been on the island for more than a decade. The owner would send books to President Bill Clinton and his family when they vacationed here.

A block of the downtown shopping district was cordoned off and several hundred onlookers gathered behind yellow police tape hoping for a peek at the president.

They exited the bookstore at about 11:45 to cheers from the crowd. The president, who was wearing a navy blue polo, faded jeans, a White Sox cap, sandals and dark sunglasses, waved to the crowd.

Malia, wearing a blue jacket, striped shirt and white shorts and Sasha, wearing a yellow top and plaid shorts, followed their dad back to the motorcade. Pool is now holding.

Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 3:30 PM

Early lid today at 3:15 pm.

Sent: Thu Aug 19 15:02:31 2010

The president landed at Martha’s Vineyard Airport at 2:40 p.m., where he was met by a convoy of five SUVs. Pool was too far away to see POTUS emerge, and then pool was quickly hustled onto the bus.

The motorcade hurried along windy island roads mostly empty of people, though one woman gave the passing motorcade a thumbs-down.

As they did last year, the Obamas are again renting 28-acre Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark, Mass. No public events are planned.

Here is the president’s vacation schedule, from the White House Press Office (read on Scribd).