ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Home alone at the White House, President Barack Obama headed on an impromptu Christmas shopping trip Wednesday with first dog Bo, searching for some holiday cheer despite a stalemate with Congress.
The president’s wife and daughters already are on the family’s annual Hawaii vacation, leaving him behind to negotiate with Republican lawmakers on payroll taxes. So Obama squeezed in time after calls with congressional leaders to hit a PetSmart and a Best Buy in this Virginia suburb before picking up pizza for lunch.
Along the way, he wished others Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
At the pet store, the president bought Bo a toy bone and a bag of treats, as the pup played with a poodle puppy named Cinnamon. “OK, Bo, don’t get too personal,” Obama admonished as the two dogs sniffed each other in excitement.
From there, Obama headed to Best Buy to shop for his daughters, Malia, 13, and Sasha, 10. He purchased two $50 iTunes gift cards and two games — the “Sims 3: Pets” and “Just Dance 3” for the Wii. “The girls beat me every time on these various dance games,” Obama told reporters. “So, you’ll never get a picture of me doing it.”
