Big American Names Make Happy and Sad American Moments at Martha's Vineyard

POTUS and FLOTUS had a date night last evening sans daughters, dining at The Sweet Life Café. In this photo of the entourage. Why President Obama was carrying a baby across the street, we're not sure.

Obama gridlock on Martha's VineyardThe Cape Cod Times is on the scene, obviously with some insiders perched in high places, based on the photos.

POTUS and FLOTUS at Valerie Jarrett's house in Oak BluffsBefore dinner, the Obamas socialized with friends on the deck of presidential friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett's house. Reading further, the press is mistakenly calling dinner a "date night", unless the Obamas have progressive ideas on coupledom.

The president and first lady ate with Obama's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, longtime friend Eric Whitaker and presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett.

See CapeCodOnline.com for local videos.

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Getting Inside Martha's Vineyard

Just discovered this great article on Martha's vineyard, from the Financial Times:

Gay Head Cliffs in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, US, via Financial TimesYou cannot get a Big Mac on Martha’s Vineyard. In 1979, campaigners on this little island off Cape Cod, Massachusetts – among them James Taylor and Mia Farrrow – repulsed an attempt by McDonald’s to extend the franchise here.

There is no KFC or Pizza Hut here either. No strip malls. No chain stores. No high-rise condos. No neon signs. You can’t get reliable directions on your iPhone; you can’t even get a mobile phone signal in some parts of the island. There are no multi-lane roads. No traffic lights. You can’t drive fast because (a) the maximum speed limit is 45mph and (b) most of the roads are rutted dirt. You can’t even order a glass of beer or wine with dinner in the island’s largest town; you must bring your own.

Obama & Company Arrives on Martha's Vineyard

CapeCod Online reports that the First Family arrived at their vacation home after a 10-minute motorcade ride from the airport in Vineyard Haven to Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark.

Rocking their world: Roger Moffat and his wife Linda Cruise Moffat of Oak Bluffs give a laid-back welcome to the first family. About 50 people lined the route to welcome the president and his family. The O's arrived at Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod on the Upper Cape and then boarded a helicopter for Martha's Vineyard.

The O's board Air Force earlier this afternoon, headed for a week of R & R. Hurricane Bill seems like he's out to sea, making way for Team Obama. With three of the top 10 books on the NYTimes best seller-list devastatingly critical of the president, the family will be secluded in comparatively safe harbor at Blue Heron Farm.

President Barack Obama waves to as he escorts his daughter Malia, down the stairs from Air Force One after arriving at the Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod in Bourne, Mass., en route to a vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009.

President Barack Obama and his family arriving at the Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station in Bourne, Massachusetts Photo: EPA

The First Vacation: Local Video on Arrival Day

Is She or Isn't Chelsea Clinton Getting Married Very Soon? Talk About Top Secret Democratic Politics!

Let me not perpetuate false rumours here, but the London Times swears that Chelsea Clinton is getting married tomorrow, on the Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen estate, not far from where the Obamas are staying. The word is that POTUS will be there.

I don't run with this crowd and am just quoting here.

Michelle, Sasha and Malia may already be at Martha's Vineyard.That was the original plan, unless the trip suddenly appeared to luxurious to disgruntled voters. POTUS is suffering at the polls this week.

According to one source, they took a cruise this week in the availble-for-hire schooner Alabama. The NYTimes says they're at Camp David, where POTUS went this afternoon -- or so we think.

The White House told the Vineyard Gazette that he and his family would fly to Otis air force base, on nearby Cape Cod, on Sunday aboard Air Force One and transfer to Vineyard by helicopter. But islanders expect Mr Obama to arrive early so that he can attend the wedding, said to be taking place on a secluded estate near where the Obamas are staying. via London Times 

The Boston Globe denies, denies, denies that there will be a wedding. Bill and Hillary left for Bermuda, where Chelsea was conceived. That's a lot of work to make a u-turn, but who knows.

The Washington Post has a good article, calling this prospective Chelsea Clinton nuptial event the Manhattan Project of weddings. So there you have it, no one knows what the heck is happening. Anne

Obama-Mania Rises in Martha's Vineyard

Obama-mania is hitting Martha's Vineyard, especially Oak Bluffs, the African American enclave very close to Blue Heron farm, where the Obama family will reside, later in August.

 Sharky's Obamarita is made with real mandarin orange puree, rumored to be President Obama's favorite fruit. Martha's Vineyard Times reports strong sales of Obamaritas at Sharky's. The drink is made with mandarin oranges, rumored to be POTUS's fav fruit. (Canned oranges, Mr. President?) Mandarin organges are pureed with 100 percent real lemon and lime sour mix, triple sec, Sauza tequila, and a splash of pineapple juice in honor of Hawaii.

Check out Good Taste: Care for a drink? Part two on Martha's Vineyard Times for more libations waiting for the Obama drowd.

To their credit, The Martha's Vineyard Times doesn't have Obama-mania from what I can see. It remains a newspaper for the people of Martha's Vineyard.

President Obama will arrive on Aug. 23 to the house at Blue Heron Farm. Michelle and the girls will come earlier.

Martha's Vineyard merchants and service providers hope to make up for the dreadful loss of business, during June's 25 days of rain.

Politically, Martha's Vineyard is Obama Country. Seventy-five percent of MV voters went for Obama.

A woman wearing a T-shirt that reads "Relax It's All About the Vineyard" in the town of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. via NYTimesT-shirts with slogans like “Summer White House ’09” and “Barackin’ the Vineyard Summer ’09” hang in stores, posters welcoming the family are selling for $3.99 and an oil painting called “Yes We Can — Fist Bump” is on sale in a local gallery for $1,100.

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Will Squibnocket Beach Become 'Bo's Beach'?

via Mamas Boy MediaLooking for photos and video of the 'leaked' details of the Obama's Martha's Vineyard August rental, I found this video of Squibnocket Beach. What are the details again of Bo's breed and water?

Worth noting, given that bloggers are already in high gear, criticizing the decision to stay at Chilmark, the Obamas are paying for their family rental on the property out of personal funds. The Clintons stayed with friends. And president Bush just 'stayed' at his own Crawford compound, taking more vacation time than any president in the modern age, and perhaps 'ever'. (Must check the facts.)

As the Daily Beast noted, the options of where the Obamas can take a getaway are very limited, given the entourage that travels with them and the communications that must be in place. A

Squibnocket Beach

Here we have an excellent video of Chilmark.

Chilmark, Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard