Taking advantage of idyllic summer weather, President Barack Obama joined his family on bike and beach outings Tuesday and was teeing off on a Martha's Vineyard golf course when much of the East Coast was rattled by an earthquake.
The 5.9 magnitude temblor shook much of Washington, DC, and was felt as far north as Rhode Island and the Martha's Vineyard golf course where Obama was starting a round. The White House did not immediately say whether the president felt the ground sway, but reporters travelling with him said they did.
Aides said Obama was briefed on national security and the economy before setting out for the bike trail at Manuel F. Correllus State Forest with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha. The first family went biking at the 2,070-hectare preserve during their previous two summer getaways on this posh island off the Massachusetts coast. After biking, they headed to a private stretch of beach on the island's south shore for the second time in three days.
Obama also discussed Libya with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Both agreed to support a peaceful transition to democracy and called for Moammar Gadhafi to relinquish power, the White House said. While out biking, Obama ignored a reporter's shouted question about Gadhafi's whereabouts.
The president arrived last Thursday for a 10-day break from Washington. He is scheduled to return to the White House Saturday.
AP