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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, December 23, 2008

OBAMA THANKS TROOPS
Obama stops at Marine gym

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

President-elect Barack Obama greets some troops after exercising at the Semper Fit Center gym at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

LAWRENCE JACKSON | Associated Press

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President-elect Barack Obama yesterday personally thanked some military service members after a morning workout on Day 3 of his 10-day family vacation in Hawai'i.

Obama was up early yesterday to visit the gym at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i at Kane'ohe Bay with his wife, Michelle.

After the workout, he walked up to about 20 people in the parking lot, posed for pictures and chatted for a few minutes.

"Thank you, guys. Appreciate your service," he said. "Happy holidays."

From there, Obama returned to his rented $9 million oceanfront home on Kailuana Place in Kailua where he and his family are staying for the year-end holidays.

Earlier, some residents of the neighborhood where Obama stayed watched the presidential motorcade pass and took pictures from outside their homes.

Others who were out for a stroll or walking their dogs stopped to wave at Obama, who was born in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou School.

Obama wore a dark baseball cap and gray T-shirt for his workout at the Semper Fit Center, where he exercised for less than an hour.

Michelle Obama remained behind at the gym for a longer workout.

As Obama's motorcade left the gate of the military base, three Marines on duty stood at attention and saluted.

After returning to his vacation rental, Obama apparently planned to stay home for the rest of the day.

In Washington yesterday, Obama's office said it will release today Obama's staff's conversations with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell Obama's Senate seat.

"We have a report," said Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter. "It's been ready for release for a week. We've held off at the request of the U.S. attorney's office and that continues to be the case, though we expect to be able to release the report shortly."

Obama had promised to release this week the review he ordered of contacts between his aides and Blagojevich's office about appointing Obama's Senate successor.

Obama has said his internal review will show that his staff had no "inappropriate" discussions with the governor or his staff about the seat.

Aides said Obama has no plans to make a public statement on his internal report while in Hawai'i.

This is Obama's third trip to Hawai'i this year. In August he stayed in Kailua during a weeklong vacation with his family. He made a brief visit in October to visit his ailing grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who died two days before Obama defeated Sen. John McCain in the Nov. 4 general election.