Aloha Hawaii! The Obamas touch down for their Christmas break... as the cost of their vacations since 2009 tops $70m

  • President Obama and his family arrived in Hawaii on Saturday
  • Air Force One carrying the family landed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on his first day of annual two-week holiday getaway
  • On his way to Hawaii, Obama stopped in Southern California to visit loved ones of victims killed in San Bernardino massacre
  • Obama usually spends vacation time in Hawaii frequenting island's golf courses, dining out and hiking
  • Total cost of Obama's vacations since taking office in January 2009 has now hit $70.5 million, according to new report
  • For more of the latest on Barack Obama visit www.dailymail.co.uk/obama

After a somber start to his vacation, President Barack Obama arrived in Hawaii on Saturday to celebrate Christmas and ring in his final year as president.

Air Force One carrying Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Malia and Sasha landed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in the wee hours of the first day of his annual two-week holiday getaway from Washington.

The president usually spends his vacation time in Hawaii, the island state where he was born, frequenting the island's golf courses, dining out, hiking, going to the beach and treating himself and his kids to shave ice, a frozen dessert that looks like a snow cone.

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President Barack Obama waves as he arrives at Join Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Saturday in Honolulu

President Barack Obama waves as he arrives at Join Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Saturday in Honolulu

Above, the Obamas, including daughters Malia and Sasha OBama, make their way out of Air Force One early Saturday morning

Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha make their way out of Air Force One

Obama and his family arrived in Hawaii where they will celebrate Christmas. The vacation is Obama's annual two-week holiday getaway from Washington

Obama and his family arrived in Hawaii where they will celebrate Christmas. The vacation is Obama's annual two-week holiday getaway from Washington

Obama and his family are pictured above as they are greeted by US Navy Admiral Harry Harris and his wife Bruni Bradley on Saturday

Obama and his family are pictured above as they are greeted by U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris and his wife Bruni Bradley on Saturday

He is scheduled to return to the White House just after the new year to begin focusing on what he can get done with the Republican-controlled Congress in his final year in office.

The president does not have any public events planned during the vacation, according to ABC.

On the way to Hawaii, Obama stopped in Southern California to carry out what has become one of the grimmest rituals of his presidency: consoling the grieving relatives of victims of gun violence.

Obama and his wife spent nearly three hours late Friday hearing from the loved ones of the nine men and five women killed December 2 when a married couple opened fire on the husband's co-workers at a workplace holiday party in San Bernardino, east of Los Angeles. 

Obama said the meetings in a high school library were 'so moving' because the families were so representative of the country.

The president usually spends his vacation time in Hawaii, the island state where he was born, frequenting the island's golf courses, dining out, hiking and going to the beach

The president usually spends his vacation time in Hawaii, the island state where he was born, frequenting the island's golf courses, dining out, hiking and going to the beach

Obama is scheduled to return to the White House just after the new year to begin focusing on what he can get done with  Congress during his final year in office

Obama is scheduled to return to the White House just after the new year to begin focusing on what he can get done with Congress in his final year in office

Obama and the first lady were all smiles after the touched down on the tarmac in Hawaii on Saturday

Obama and the first lady were all smiles after the touched down in Hawaii on Saturday

'You had people from every background, every faith,' he said. 

'Some described loved ones who had come to this country as immigrants, others who had lived in the area all their lives, all of them extraordinarily proud of the work they were doing to keep people healthy and safe' as employees of the San Bernardino County health department.

'As difficult as this time is for them and for the entire community, they're also representative of the strength and the unity and the love that exists in this community and in this country.'

Authorities said the attack was planned and carried out by Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 29. 

So far, authorities have said they have no evidence that the American-born Farook and his Pakistani wife were carrying out orders from an overseas terrorist group or that they were part of a domestic terrorist network.

IS has claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated assaults in Paris on November 13 that left 130 people dead.

Obama flew to San Bernardino after taking questions from reporters at his annual year-end news conference at the White House. 

At the news conference, Obama cited an Asia-Pacific trade deal and overhauling the criminal justice system as areas where progress is possible. But Obama is also likely to spend much of his final year in office focused on the U.S.-led campaign to defeat IS.

Obama and the First Lady are pictured as they greeted San Bernardino Mayor R Carey Davis as they step off Air Force One. Obama stopped in Southern California on Friday to meet with families of the 14 victims of the San Bernardino massacre

Obama and the first lady are pictured as they greeted San Bernardino Mayor R. Carey Davis as they step off Air Force One. Obama stopped in Southern California on Friday to meet with families of the 14 victims of the San Bernardino massacre

Children stand with signs welcoming Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the San Bernardino International Airport ahead of his visit with the victims' families in San Bernardino

Children stand with signs welcoming Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the San Bernardino International Airport ahead of his visit with the victims' families in San Bernardino

Obama delivered a statement after meeting with families of the San Bernardino shooting victims at Indian Springs high School on Friday (pictured)

Obama delivered a statement after meeting with families of the San Bernardino shooting victims at Indian Springs high School on Friday (pictured)

'Since taking this office, I've never been more optimistic about a year ahead than I am right now,' he said before leaving Washington. 'And in 2016, I'm going to leave it out all on the field.' 

Obama's eighth consecutive Christmas vacation to Hawaii begins just as a new report published Thursday showed the total cost of Obama's vacations since taking office in January 2009 has now hit $70.5 million.

The costs are being savaged by a critical conservative group, which said Obama is treating Air Force One, which costs $206,000/hour to run, 'like an Uber ride' ahead of his next jaunt to his home state,' Tom Fitton, president of the Judicial Watch pressure group said. 

Yet, he still has not taken anywhere near the total number of vacations or days off as his predecessor, George W. Bush, the report showed. 

Obama has taken 23 vacations spanning all or part of 177 days, according to Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent who tracks presidential vacations.

President George W. Bush had made 68 visits to Texas spanning all or part of 441 days at this point in his tenure - plus another 10 visits to his family’s home in Maine, spanning all or part of 39 days.

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