© Associated PressDemocratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is on vacation this week in Honolulu. But his campaign has not taken a break; 16 of the 18 states it deems as battlegrounds will see the new ad.
President Obama and his family will leave Washington Dec. 20 for a 17-day holiday vacation in Hawaii.
The White House announced Friday that the Obamas will depart next week after what is expected to be a light work schedule for the president in Washington.
The president and his family traditionally spend their Christmas break in a rented home on Oahu with spectacular ocean views.
For his first three years in office, Mr. Obama rented a $24,500-per-week gated Plantation Estate, which offers security and privacy on the white sand beach of Kailua Bay.
Last year, renting a similar house in the same locale, Mr. Obama was forced to cut short his vacation and fly back to Washington on the day after Christmas to resume negotiations on an emergency budget deal with Congress.
This year, Congress is on track to approve a two-year budget deal before the Christmas holiday.
© Getty ImagesPricey: Taking care of Barack Obama and his family costs the public over $1billion per year, according to a book on the cost of the presidency.
"Every year (taxpayers in England) have to spend $57.8 million for the first family of Great Britain to make sure that everything's maintained and everything is taken care of and their security and everything else, $57.8 million. And the people in England are upset about it," Glenn explained this morning.
"How much did we pay our royal family? How much did it take to maintain our royal family, the Obamas, just last year? Now, this is really interesting, especially as we come up for another vacation for the Obamas. This one is going to cost us $4 million. This vacation in Hawaii for Christmas is going to cost you $4 million.
How much did we spend last year? Remember, the royal family cost $57.8 million. Would you be stunned if I told you it was $50 million? Would you be ‑‑ would you be bowled over if it was $100 million? How much do we spend? The total last year, a little higher than $57.8 million."
So what was it? $60 million? No. $100 million? Nope. $250 million? Not even close.
The answer: $1.4 billion
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