Settling in on the Vineyard

On his first full day of vacation on Martha's Vineyard, President Obama managed to make some news today anyway, as his spokesman confirmed that Obama has approved a new FBI unit to interrogate terrorist detainees -- duties that had been done by the CIA but with some abuses.

But otherwise, the president is taking it easy, deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton told reporters at Oak Bluffs School.

Obama had dinner Sunday night with friends, including adviser Valerie Jarrett; worked out this morning; and played tennis with Michelle. Later today he plans to play golf with Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Burton said. The foursome also includes White House aide Marvin Nicholson and banker Robert Wolf, CEO of UBS Americas and a major donation bundler for Obama's presidential campaign.

Obama also has some vacation reading. He plans to read two serious books: "John Adams," David McCullough's acclaimed biography of the founding father, and "Hot, Flat, and Crowded," New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman's tome about the promise of clean energy and other "green" technology.

His reading list also includes three novels: "Lush Life," Richard Price's take on class and race in the Lower East Side of New York; "The Way Home," a story by George Pelecanos of a juvenile delinquent's journey to redemption in Washington; and "Plainsong," Kent Haruf's meditation on family, romance, and small-town life in Colorado.

Obama has been to Martha's Vineyard a half dozen times over the last decade. "He enjoys it. It's comfortable. The beaches are nice. The people are particularly nice. There's really good food to eat," Burton said. "There's a lot of great things about Martha's Vineyard."

While Bill Clinton, during his presidential visits, met the public on numerous occasions while traipsing around the island, Obama plans, for now, to keep mostly to himself, ensconced at the Blue Heron Farm estate.

"His desire in Martha's Vineyard is to get a little break," Burton said. "He certainly appreciates the hospitality of the folks who are here. But his desire here is to relax and spend time with the family."

Burton repeated that there are no plans for Obama to visit Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and that the White House is not getting involved in Kennedy's request that Massachusetts leaders change state law to accelerate a temporary replacement should it be necessary.

Burton did acknowledge, however, that Kennedy's absence from the health care debate is having consequences.

"I don't think that there are many people in the history of our country who have worked harder toward health care reform than Senator Kennedy. So, obviously, any support from Senator Kennedy is critically important," he said.

Obama is getting daily briefings and talking to advisers on health care, Burton said.