People: Obama heads back to D.C. for meetings
President Barack Obama is getting off the island.
In a rare move for him, the president planned a break in the middle of his Martha’s Vineyard vacation to return to Washington on Sunday night for meetings with Vice President Joe Biden and other advisers on the U.S. military campaign in Iraq and tensions between police and protesters in Ferguson, Missouri.
The White House has been cagey about why the president needs to be back in Washington for those discussions. He’s received multiple briefings on both issues while on vacation.
Even though work has occupied much of Obama’s first week on vacation, he still found plenty of time to golf, go to the beach with his family and go out to dinner on the island.
He hit the golf course one more time Sunday ahead of his departure, joining former NBA player Alonzo Mourning for an afternoon round. He then joined wife Michelle for an evening jazz performance featuring singer Rachelle Ferrell.
Mitchell praises Gregory’s legacy
NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell paid tribute on “Meet the Press” to its abruptly departed host, David Gregory.
Mitchell told viewers Sunday that the long-running public-affairs show has made a lot of history and that a large share was made with Gregory at the helm. She said he had been “true to the traditions of the program and NBC News.”
Gregory had been at NBC News for two decades and host of “Meet the Press” since 2008. Last week he announced he was leaving the network amid sinking ratings for the program.
NBC political director Chuck Todd takes over as permanent host Sept. 7.
The birthday bunch
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter is 87. Movie director Roman Polanski is 81. Actor-director Robert Redford is 78. Actor-comedian Martin Mull is 71. Actor Denis Leary is 57. Actress Madeleine Stowe is 56. ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff is 53. Bluegrass musician Jimmy Mattingly is 52. Actor Adam Storke is 52. Actor Craig Bierko is 50. Rock musician Zac Maloy (The Nixons) is 46. Rock singer and hip-hop artist Everlast is 45. Rapper Masta Killa (Wu-Tang Clan) is 45. Actor Christian Slater is 45. Actor Edward Norton is 45. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner is 44. Actress Kaitlin Olson is 39. Actor-writer-director Hadjii is 38. Actor-comedian Andy Samberg (“Saturday Night Live”) is 36.