Bush to take shortest summer holiday yet

Heading for his Texas ranch, US President George Bush is taking his shortest summer holiday yet with turmoil in the Middle East and an uncertain future for his Republican Party in autumn elections.

Bush leaves Washington today, but will return nine days later to tend to the problems abroad and at home that are weighing on his presidency.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the president will travel frequently during August – a contrast to previous summers when he has spent nearly the entire month on his ranch. The White House fought the image that the president would be tuned out even temporarily to problems in the Middle East, where there was no end in sight to fighting between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was going to the ranch during his first weekend in Texas.

First lady Laura Bush is heading to the ranch tomorrow night.

“My guess is he’s going to be working pretty hard,” Snow said. “So this is not something where he’s simply going to be gallivanting and ignoring the realities of the situation.”