Terence Samuel on why the president needs a vacation after a tough week:
The House is scheduled to start its summer recess at the end of next week. The week after that, the Senate leaves, and then President Barack Obama heads to Martha’s Vineyard with his family for a two-week vacation that ought to dampen the noise coming out of Washington. Can everybody say “Amen”? We all need the break, but the president, maybe, most of all.
By all accounts, Obama suffered a bad week. It involved everything from Birthers to Blue Dogs, Glenn Beck to beer. While the White House does not seem to be facing any imminent threat of failure — though, you have to wonder about health care at this point — the president just seems a little off his game. His appearances have been a little forced, and he hasn’t presented the usually unflappable Obama, the one we have come to expect especially in times of trouble.
