I don’t begrudge Obama a golf game or two during his twelve days in Hawaii. But I just note that Bush’s lengthy vacations in Crawford, Texas, were considered ipso facto evidence of his laziness and irresponsibility, even though he did the same thing Obama was doing now — working part of the day and staying in touch with officials and world leaders by phone.

To get a whiff of criticism of a round of golf during a bloody war in the Middle East, you have to read the British papers.