Obama takes dog Xmas shopping
US President Obama took his dog Bo on a last-minute Christmas shopping spree while his family holidays in Hawaii.
US President Obama took his dog Bo on a last-minute Christmas shopping spree while his family holidays in Hawaii.
Mr Obama dashed off to a suburban Virginia shopping mall, first stopping in at a PetSmart store, where the president and first dog were escorted through an aisle of pooch toys and treats.
But Bo's attention was soon captured by a poodle named Cinnamon as the president paid the $US41 ($40) tab for a pair of items, including a large dog bone, with a $US50 note.
"OK, Bo, don't get too personal here," he said as he tightened his grip on Bo's lead.
Then Mr Obama hit electronics store Best Buy, where he scooped up the latest high-tech toys for daughters Sasha and Malia.
He bought a copy of the Just Dance 3 game, the latest craze for game systems like Wii and Xbox.
"The girls beat me every time on these dance games, but you'll never get a picture of me [playing], because I get graded 'F' every time," said Mr Obama.
He also picked up some $US50 iTunes gift cards, then bought a few boxes of pizza and headed back to the White House, where a standoff over the expiring payroll-tax cut has been spoiling his own planned holiday getaway.
White House spokesman Jay Carney has yet to say if the president will eventually join his family in Hawaii, even for a short respite.