Obama Sprints From Air Force One to Golf Links

By City News Service

Local politicos greeted President Barack Obama as Air Force One touched down at Palm Springs International Airport just after 11 a.m. Saturday, and the president wasted no time getting onto a golf course with his old Honolulu boyhood chums.

President Obama was greeted by Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, Dana Hobart, the mayor of Rancho Mirage and Jeff Grubbe, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Air Force One touched down at 11:03 a.m., taxied to the southwest corner of the airport, and the president emerged to jog down the stairs. He posed with Ruiz and his family, including two newborns before getting into his limousine.

Small knots of people waved at the motorcade as it sped to Sunnylands Centre and Gardens, the frequent lair for presidential visits to the golf courses and desert sun of the Coachella Valley. The temporary White House was at Sunnylands but it was not made public where the president was golfing, or spending the night.

Within minutes, he was on the private golf course with his boyhood friends and frequent foursome, Greg Orme, Mike Ramos and Bobby Titcomb.

Obama had spent Thursday and early Friday in the Los Angeles area, and overnighted in San Francisco.

His Coachella Valley visit continues a trend of June visits by the president, who came to the area around this time last year and the year before.

The White House did not provide details on the president’s plans for the weekend, but they are likely to include golf -- which Obama typically plays while in the Coachella Valley.

Street closures in anticipation of the president’s visit began Friday and were scheduled to continue through Monday morning, although Obama was expected to fly out Sunday afternoon.

Kirk Douglas Way, between Ramon and El Cielo roads, and Airport Center Drive at Kirk Douglas Way were to be closed until 7 a.m. Monday.

Palm Springs International Airport can be accessed from the Tahquitz Canyon Way-El Cielo Road entrance.