KIAWAH ISLAND, SC – During a weeklong vacation in South Carolina, President Biden had a message for reporters camped out nearby, eager for their take on his recent legislative victories and the particularly heated political news cycle in Washington. .
“Go get your bathing suits!” Mr. Biden shouted Sunday, wearing his Ray-Ban sunglasses and a big smile as he rode his bike along the beach with the first lady, Jill Biden.
While Washington was in a frenzy over the revelation last week of a federal investigation into former President Donald J. Trump’s handling of sensitive documents and possible violation of the Espionage Act, Mr. Biden has tried to keep the chaos at bay.
Presidents often try to find time, but rarely succeed, to briefly disconnect from the day-to-day responsibilities of their office. In modern times, presidential vacations often provide periods of relaxation interrupted by moments of crisis.
Last year, one of Mr. Biden’s trips was canceled when the United States withdrew from Afghanistan. This time, a rebound case of the coronavirus kept his summer plans on hold for two weeks.
President George W. Bush, who often escapes to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, for vacations, found himself there in the summer of 2005 when Hurricane Katrina took aim directly at New Orleans. He was also at Crawford in 2001 when intelligence agencies warned of a possible Al Qaeda attack months before 9/11.
In the summer of 2014, President Barack Obama was heading to the golf course on the first day of his Martha’s Vineyard vacation when news broke that James Foley, an American journalist, had been beheaded by Islamic State terrorists . Mr. Obama held a news conference on the island and then continued his golf game, drawing criticism for appearing callous.
Mr Trump ordered a missile strike on Syria during a break at his Mar-a-Lago resort in retaliation for President Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons in that country’s civil war.
Biden returned to Washington on Tuesday for a brief stop to sign one of his milestones as president: the Inflation Reduction Act, aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs and fighting climate change.
But he left again Tuesday night for Wilmington, Del., to continue his summer vacation in his home state for another week. (Dr. Biden remained in South Carolina, self-isolating after testing positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday morning.)
Mr. Biden often returns to Delaware, even during busy stretches, to spend time with family and enjoy a kind of privacy that is hard to come by in the White House. But Kiawah Island, about 40 minutes south of Charleston, proved to be a real escape for the Biden family, in contrast to the quiet coastal town of Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, where he and the first lady own a beach house
While Rehoboth’s crowded boardwalk features vendors who lean into the Biden connection and even sell themed merchandise, Kiawah Island’s quiet shoreline is lined with manicured mansions. Most of the residences and the island’s famous beach resort and golf course are located behind a strict security checkpoint where guests must request a gate pass before they arrive.
The president and first lady, along with their son Hunter, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, stayed at a sprawling beachfront estate owned by a friend where they had stayed during previous visits to the island. according to the White House. The residence was shielded from the street by a winding driveway and thick vegetation, and the Secret Service had reportedly blocked off a stretch of beach.
The White House did not describe Mr. Biden’s activities over the past week, but aside from a trip to the golf club for a quick taping of digital footage for the White House, on Saturday evening he ventured only mass at a local Catholic church. , the bike ride on Sunday and a trip to the beach club on the island on Monday evening.
Mr. Biden has deep ties to South Carolina dating back to his close relationship with Ernest F. Hollings, the former Democratic state senator who helped convince Mr. Biden to stay in the Senate after the 1972 car accident that killed his first wife. and little daughter.
“He’s very calm, and as a result, I think he’s found peace there over the years,” said Richard Harpootlian, a South Carolina state senator who has known the president for decades. “I think it’s the perfect way for him to decompress from all the horrible things in Washington.”
Neighbors said they were happy to leave the first family holiday alone.
“We don’t make a fuss,” said Linda Malcolm, a Kiawah Island resident who owns a local bookstore where some members of the Biden family, though not the president, spent some time shopping Sunday. “They deserve some time off too.”
Ms Malcolm acknowledged there had been concerns on the island about possible disruptions to the president’s trip, but said they were largely unfounded.
Mr. Biden’s flights caused some delays at Charleston International Airport, as Joint Base Charleston shares its airfield with the commercial airport. But on the way in, Mr. Biden flew Marine One from the international airport to a smaller airfield less than half an hour away from where the family was staying, a move that prevented the shutdown of streets in downtown Charleston.
And the president’s motorcade caused only a minor traffic backup during its only trip off the island on Saturday. Curious drivers rushed to whip out their phones, while pedestrians and cyclists cheered as he passed.
Caitlin Tuten-Rhodes, 32, who like many locals vaguely remembered Mr. Biden’s previous trips to the area as vice president, said Charleston and Kiawah Island had long attracted celebrities and politicians from high profile
But it’s still a thrill, he said, knowing he might run into Mr. Biden around town.
“How often do you see a president,” Ms. Tuten-Rhodes said, “even from a distance?”
