Obama to fly home early as 'fiscal cliff' looms
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HONOLULU (AP) - President Barack Obama will cut short his traditional Christmas holiday in Hawaii, planning to leave for Washington on Wednesday evening as he and lawmakers consider how to prevent the economy from going over the so-called "fiscal cliff".
Mr Obama was expected to arrive in Washington early on Thursday, the White House said on Tuesday night. First lady Michelle Obama and the couple's two daughters will remain in Hawaii.
In the past, the president's end-of-the-year holiday in his native state had stretched into the new year. The first family had left Washington last Friday night.
Congress was expected to return to Washington on Thursday. Before he departed for Hawaii, Mr Obama told reporters he expected to be back in the capital the following week.
