Favorite sons home for the holidays

It’s been a good week for the Buffanblu — the graduates, that is.

Not only did former Pun Norm Chow get a long-awaited coaching invite from the University of Hawaii, but President Barack Obama, Class of 1979, got to put the maximum distance between himself and cold, squabbling D.C.

The ink had barely dried on the bill he signed, buying time for a longer extension of the payroll tax holiday, when he was off to join his family on its annual Hawaii vacation.

The tone at yesterday’s presscon was collegial, but you know he must have enjoyed the partisan tweak to the House GOP leadership that had finally backed down. Bet Santa gets an extra helping of cookies and milk left out at the Obama’s Kailua retreat.

Alo-ho-ho-ho-ha, folks!

There’s something about Punahou

Two former sports figures at Punahou School returned to Hawaii on separate flights Friday amid great anticipation: Barack Obama and Norm Chow.

Chow excelled at football, basketball and baseball and was chosen the most outstanding athlete in his 1964 graduating class at Punahou. He has become an island celebrity in the past week, having been named head coach of the University of Hawaii football team.

Obama was a mere reserve on Punahou’s 1979 state championship basketball team but has done quite well in other fields of endeavor.