Presidential Vacations

There has been some criticism of the president taking a few days vacation at this time. But how does the number of vacation days the president has spent compare to his predecessors? CBS Radio's Mark Knoller has kept track of presidential vacations for years and supplied the data.

So far, President Obama has taken 61 vacation days after 31 months in office.  This number is actually only a third of what his predecessor had taken at this point in his presidency.

At this point in their presidencies:
George W. Bush had spent 180 days at his ranch
Ronald Reagan had taken 112 vacation days at his ranch.
Bill Clinton took the least time off -- 28 days.

Unlike Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, who got grief for vacationing at the family estate in Kennebunkport, Maine, Obama doesn't own a vacation home.

To be fair, a presidential vacation away from the White House is not the same as a vacation for the average person. The president is still in contact with his advisers and on call for any emergency.