Obama's Birthday Plans In Chicago: Fundraising, Factories And Friends

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is heading home to Chicago to celebrate his 49th birthday on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that Obama's birthday plans include having dinner with friends there and spending the night in his own house in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood.

Obama hasn't shied away from talking about his birthday, noting that his hair is getting more gray and his metabolism is slowing down as another year passes. Gibbs says that while there's no doubt that the presidency comes with enormous physical and mental strain, Obama "greatly enjoys" the job.

Obama is traveling to Chicago Wednesday and Thursday to tour an auto plant and attend Democratic fundraisers, returning Thursday night to Washington.

He won't, however, be with his family, spending his birthday instead as a bachelor.

First lady Michelle Obama is taking their youngest daughter, Sasha, to Spain this week and their other daughter, Malia, is away at camp. Gibbs demurred when asked if it was a source of Obama family tension that the president was celebrating his birthday without them.

"They'll all be back together soon," the press secretary said diplomatically.

Meanwhile, the president's birthday – though a year shy of the Big 50 milestone – is being used in this election year as a prime fundraising opportunity for Democratic candidates and party organizations, through mailings, e-mails, parties and other birthday-themed outreach.

Comments

[ipresumelikely]

11:47 PM on 08/05/2010

Oprah was there? I thought she was a Republican. She helped Gov. Schwarzenegger get in office (for her elitist friend M. Shriver). Does the big O have any integrity in her politics?

[La Reyna]

03:47 AM on 08/05/2010

Happy Birthday President Obama...and welcome back to Chicago!

[tissa]

11:46 AM on 08/04/2010

Happy Birthday Mr. President! You have done a fantastic job in your first year! Thank you for a job well done so far! :-)

[Lilly-G]

11:03 AM on 08/04/2010

Happy Birthday, Mr. President. Thank you so very much for all your hard work. We appreciate you.

[dem48]

09:36 AM on 08/04/2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESIDENT OBAMA! You're doing a great job!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP4qd8inYRE

[shakennotstirred]

05:15 AM on 08/04/2010

Happy Birthday Mr. President. Continue to ROCK OUR WORLD!

[VOTER]

01:12 AM on 08/04/2010

Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
We're glad to have you come home even if it is for a short time.
Enjoy!

[Writeloudly]

10:41 PM on 08/03/2010

Call Helen Thomas....she should be home alone.

You can celebrate together over cake and your positions on the ground zero mosque (I hear there may be Hamas backing) and fretting over Fox getting her seat.

[Mister C]

06:11 AM on 08/04/2010

Actually Helen's seat is stying empty

[Jeff1958]

01:09 PM on 08/04/2010

Fox is not getting her seat.

[Gnarly]

10:33 PM on 08/03/2010

go go sox! happy birthday!

[ChicagoSuz]

09:18 PM on 08/03/2010

Welcome Home, Mr. President, and have a wonderful birthday!!

[Dan1902]

09:13 PM on 08/03/2010

Happy Birthday Mr. President!! GO WHITE SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VOTER]

01:15 AM on 08/04/2010

Well look at you........ the Perfect Greeting.

Darn, I forgot to add the White Sox to my greeting and I was born and
raised on the South Side.

[dhampton100]

07:50 PM on 08/03/2010

We can always count on "good ole Rush" for a comment to inspire great minds. According to "This week with Rush" We still don't have any evidence that Mr. Obama was even born, let alone whether this is his birthday. Maybe he was created in a test tube and a miracle happened and this “colored man” appeared already 49 years old. I mean, who knows? Were you there when he was born? Did you see his mother give birth? Anything is possible. All I’m asking is “Did you see it”?!!!

[citizen of the universe]

07:07 PM on 08/03/2010

Happy Birthday Sir!

[CarolinaYankee]

05:43 PM on 08/03/2010

Amazing H.P. allows hate posts about our President but not Rush. Try and blog anything about Rush on that story.

[SPQR1052]

05:38 PM on 08/03/2010

"...He won't, however, be with his family, spending his birthday instead as a bachelor..."

Volunteer line forming for those who wish to jump out of the birthday cake. BEHIND ME.

[vivienne1]

07:12 PM on 08/03/2010

If you're a Reggie Love type a guy you actually might have a chance!

Good Luck!

[Knowitall]

12:12 AM on 08/04/2010

Lame.

[ejhickey]

10:15 PM on 08/03/2010

word is that someone dressed as a birth certificate , is going to jump out of his cake.

[Knowitall]

12:12 AM on 08/04/2010

Lamer