WASHINGTON, Aug 4: President Barack Obama celebrated his 51st birthday Saturday with a round of golf and plans for a quiet weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat, taking a break from campaigning three months before Election Day.
Obama played golf with a group of friends and aides at Andrews Air Force Base before heading to the presidential getaway in Maryland´s Catoctin Mountains.
He returns to campaign mode soon enough, with fundraisers in Connecticut on Monday and campaign rallies in Colorado on Wednesday and Thursday.
Next weekend, Obama will hold several birthday-themed fundraisers in Chicago, including one at his family´s home. Obama´s campaign used the event to drum up small-dollar donations before the end of the July fundraising deadline, offering two lucky winners the chance to attend the fundraiser at Obama´s red brick home.
In an email to supporters, Obama warned that his birthday "could be the last one I celebrate as president of the United States, but that´s not up to me — it´s up to you." Obama´s team has warned that he could be outspent by Republicans and challenger Mitt Romney.
President Barack Obama walks out of the White House to board Marine One helicopter, Friday, July 6, 2012 in Washington. (AP)
Obama got some early birthday wishes on Thursday during a rally in Florida, when supporters serenaded him with "Happy Birthday." The president joked that his birthday wishes "probably would have to do with electoral votes. Winning Florida wouldn´t be a bad birthday present."
Republicans offered tongue-in-cheek birthday greetings. The Republican National Committee delivered a birthday cake to their counterparts at the Democratic National Committee on Friday featuring a picture of a smiling Obama next to the words, "You didn´t bake this."
The inscription was a reference to a line from an Obama speech last month in which he said, "If you´ve got a business, you didn´t build that." Romney has seized upon the line to question Obama´s commitment to small business while Obama and Democrats have said the quote was taken out of context.
Democratic officials promptly sent the cake back to Republican party headquarters, along with a copy of a recent report by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center that found that Romney´s tax proposal would give millionaires a broad tax cut at the expense of tax breaks enjoyed by many middle-class families. Romney´s team has disputed the study, saying his tax plan would benefit all Americans.
In short, just a typical presidential birthday in an election year.
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