Despite reports that President Obama was going to kick back and relax at his Chicago home this weekend, the White House said Tuesday that he will travel to Louisiana Friday to inspect the growing oil spill.
The Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet reported the president was planning to spend the weekend with friends and leave work in Washington.
But a senior administration official said Tuesday the president will head to the Louisiana Gulf Coast to review firsthand the efforts to counter a disastrous oil spill. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the trip has not yet been announced.
The White House is expected to release more details about the trip later today, but the extra presidential travel is sure to cause even more headaches for commuters.
Obama will travel from Washington to Chicago on Thursday for a long weekend with his family, as planned. From there, he will go to Louisiana on Friday and return to Chicago that evening.
The timing comes as the administration is under increasing scrutiny to defend its oversight of the oil leak in the Gulf Coast.
But the jaunt shouldn't spoil the entire weekend. Hyde Park is buzzing with activity in advance of the president's trip and he and the girls will have Saturday and Sunday to relax there.
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