President flies to Maine for 3-week stay

KENNEBUNKPORT — A tired looking President Bush began a crisis-clouded, 25-day vacation Friday saying he did not want to “be held hostage in the White House to events.”

Bush said he believes Americans would be sympathetic to his decision to leave Washington as U.S. forces move into the turbulent Persian Gulf region. “I’m determined that life goes on,” he said.

Accompanied by his wife, Barbara, he flew to their oceanside home, but said he could return to Washington on short notice if necessary.

“It’s very easy to go back,” Bush said, noting it is only a 1 1/2-hour flight to the capital.

Bush has ordered a major deployment of U.S. troops, planes and ships to the gulf area in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the possibility that Saddam Hussein’s army would continue on into oil-rich Saudi Arabia.

Explaining Bush’s decision to go to Kennebunkport, White House press secretary Marlin Fitzwater said, “Our forces are going to be in a defensive manner. It’s not a conflict.”

The president appeared fatigued after long days of monitoring the crisis. Bush met at the White House with foreign policy advisers and Defense Secretary Dick Cheney before leaving.

The White House originally said Bush was taking extra staff with him but Fitzwater said on Friday that was not the case.

White House chief of staff John Sununu was heading for vacation in his home state of New Hampshire. Vice President Dan Quayle was preparing for a vacation in Arizona.

Brent Scowcroft, Bush’s national security adviser and frequent golf companion in Maine, remained behind.