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Obamas visit East-West Center, Punchbowl, Bellows on last vacation day

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President Barack Obama and his family started New Year’s Day with a morning trip to the East-West Center, a short visit to Punchbowl and another day at Bellows Beach.

The president met with Richard R. Vuylsteke, the incoming president of the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The East-West Center provides grants and scholarships to students and fellows from around the world. Obama has made several trips to the center during his time as president. His mother, Ann Dunham, studied there while working toward a doctorate degree from the University of Hawaii.

Obama and Vuylsteke were joined by the president’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, as well as his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, a UH faculty member.

The president and his daughters then went to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl where his grandfather, Stanley Dunham is buried.

They followed the visit with a trip to Bellow Beach where they spent several hours for the second time in a week.

The Obamas are spending their last winter vacation as first family on Oahu. They have made the two-week trip an annual tradition. The family returns to Washington D.C. tonight.

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    • All of us are proud of our president. Anyone can agree or disagree with his specific policies. But The hatred from some out here toward him is irrational and apparently at least in part race-based. Really shocking.

      • You should look in the mirror. The hatred is coming from all the anti-trump people. How do you come to the conclusion that “at least in part race -based”? The fall back when you cannot defend yourself. One thing I’ll be looking forward to is when I don’t agree with Trump, at least I won’t be called a racist.

        • Q: How do you come to the conclusion that “at least in part race -based”?

          A: Bacause of the many dog whistke and overtly racist comments repeatedly used by Obama haters for years on SA message boards. For example, one Trumpet over the weekend justified calling Michelle Obama “an ape in high heels” and suggested that people should offer her bananas. Today, lespark said that Obama has been in Hawaii “working on his tan”.

          There are so many examples, on a nearly daily basis for over 8 years, that the real question is how could anyone seriously deny them?

        • danno is right. Let us agree to disagree on his policies. But let us also agree not to attack a very good man who has represented America honestly and graciously. Keep race and other personal attacks out it. That is trump’s trade and business and we don’t need to stoop that low.

  • I like how Pres trump vacations, ditch the press and have a god time and enjoy yourself and company. Aloha Obama, oh and I see you failed to stop by Schofield for what, the eighth time? A disgrace…

  • ‘The Obamas have “traveled more than any other first family, often with Mrs. Obama’s mother and her friends … family visited Ireland in 2013, taxpayers were hit for just under $8 million … Mrs. Obama, her mother and two daughters toured China, they stayed in a Beijing hotel suite costing $8,400 per night … cost of Obama’s 2013 vacation in Hawaii, which has now skyrocketed to $8,098,060 … ‘

    Hmmm …

  • Good Riddance to BO and his free loading brood. They can all go back to their real home town, Chicago. Just because Barry was born in Hawaii it certainly does not make him
    a local boy.

  • I feel sorry for the hatred spewing anti-Obama commenters on this page. Instead of looking for and recognizing the good in people you revel in hatred, and the hatred turns on you and kills your soul. I don’t need to re-state the obvious successes of this President as they are well documented and recognized by most of the (thinking) people in this country. As for his family, they too have served this country well and I thank them.

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