RANCHO MIRAGE – President Obama mostly remained behind the walls of Sunnylands on Saturday, embracing a momentary escape from the demands of Washington to enjoy the desert warmth and play golf with childhood friends.
Up until Saturday night, he had reportedly planned to spend the entire weekend at the estate.
VIDEO:President Barack Obama Lands in Palm Springs
But at 6:26 p.m., he got into his motorcade and traveled 10 minutes away to the home of Michael Smith, the interior decorator who designed the White House’s living quarters as well as part of the Sunnylands center.
The president returned to Sunnylands after about an hour. Details of his and Smith’s visit were not disclosed.
PHOTOS:President Obama and King Abdullah II arrive at Sunnylands
Earlier Saturday, F-16 fighter jets assigned to enforce the temporarily restricted airspace over Sunnylands intercepted “several” aircraft that violated the restrictions.
None of the airplanes had proper clearances or communications, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Private aircraft are prohibited from entering airspace in a 10-mile radius over Sunnylands and must register with the Transportation Security Administration for a gateway screening if they plan to fly within a 30-mile radius of the Rancho Mirage estate during the president’s summit with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
Each plane was intercepted and escorted out of the area by the fighter jets, according to NORAD.
The agency did not say how many airplanes entered the restricted zone.
Obama came to the desert on Friday to meet with King Abdullah, a steadfast ally in the Middle East. However, the two leaders completed their business Friday night and the president started his weekend on the links.
According to the White House, the president was scheduled to tee off with his frequent golf buddies — Bobby Titcomb, Greg Orme and Michael Ramos — on Saturday morning. Obama grew close to these men in his youth, when they were teenage classmates and basketball rivals at the Punahou School in Hawaii, according to the school website.
These are the same golfing buddies who joined Obama on the Sunnylands golf course eight months ago, during the president’s first trip to the Coachella Valley. Last June, Obama met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Sunnylands, then lingered at the estate to play two rounds of golf with his friends.
Although Obama’s official reason for coming to Sunnylands was to talk with Abdullah, golf may have been the real draw. The two leaders could have met earlier this week, when the king was shaking hands in Washington D.C., but the White House invited Abdullah for a sit down at Sunnylands, bringing both leaders to the desert.
And as Obama stepped off the plane on Friday night, he joked about playing as much golf as he could.
“He asked us, as he was walking away, ‘What time does it get dark around here?’ ” said Jeff Grubbe, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, one of the local leaders who met the president on the tarmac. “He was hoping to get in 36 (holes) today and I think he can do it.”
Despite a heavy agenda of golfing, Obama did make time to sign two bills into law on Saturday. The president lifted the federal debt limit, allowing the government to borrow more money to pay its bills. Obama also approved a bill that restores benefits for younger military retirees, which were cut two months ago. Both bills were flown to Obama late Friday.
Sunnylands
Whether it was play or work that drew Obama to Sunnylands, trips such as this are what the estate was intended for. Sunnylands, once the home of diplomats Walter and Leonore Annenberg, was designed in the 1960s as a retreat for presidents, envisioned as a warmer-weather Camp David. It has since hosted eight U.S. presidents, British royalty and a lengthy list of other dignitaries, often in an informal setting.
“It’s really a place for people to get away from it all,” said Rancho Mirage Mayor Richard Kite. “Sure the president could have met (the king) on the East Coast, but I think Sunnylands and Rancho Mirage have a certain uniqueness. People have called it the ‘Camp David of the West,’ but I think that’s going to be just the beginning. I think we will not only see politicians, but we could also see business conferences … the biggest and best of business leaders could be coming together for meetings at Sunnylands.”
Obama is not the first president to tee off on the estate’s private golf course, either. Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush have all taken swings at the quirky course. It is a nine hole course that plays as 18 holes, folding back upon itself, switching up tees and greens to make new hazards without re-treading the same ground, like a snake tying itself in a knot. The toughest hole is the 452-yard par-5 third hole, which plays uphill.
Because Sunnylands offers a safe spot where the president can do it all — work, play, entertain and sleep — Obama rarely has to move through the Coachella Valley, closing roads and snarling traffic.
“After I learned about Sunnylands, I could see why he would stay there,” said Jean Thompson, a snowbird from Seattle. “They have the ability to secure it so well … and they’ve got all the amenities right there. If they want to play golf, they don’t have to close a public course. The intrusion here is much less than when he comes to Seattle. He comes to Seattle quite regularly, but you want to stay as far away from that as you possibly can.”
Currently, road closures are relatively limited. Bob Hope Drive, which runs along the east edge of the estate, is closed from Gerald Ford Drive to Frank Sinatra Drive. Portions of Frank Sinatra are also closed. Kirk Douglas Way, which leads into the Palm Springs airport, is also closed.
Midday Saturday, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and secret service agents manned checkpoints at either end of the estate, forbidding the public from coming within a half mile of the gate. On Friday, about 40 protesters gathered on the corner of Bob Hope and Gerald Ford, but most left discouraged when they realized they could not be seen from the estate. No protesters showed up on Saturday.
Air Force One
Although Obama spent most of Saturday out of the public eye, the plane waited in full view, drawing quite a crowd.
Air Force One, the massive 747 that brought Obama to the desert, sat by the south fence at the Palm Springs International Airport, guarded by a small security team. A steady stream of onlookers peered through the airport fence, snapping photos with the world’s most famous plane.
“This airport is pretty friendly, allowing us to get this close to it,” said Tim Colomey, a tourist from Claremont. “I’ve seen it at LAX and they keep you at a distance ... this is much much closer.”?
The Associated Press and Desert Sun reporter Colin Atagi contributed.
