KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) — President Barack Obama got out on a Florida golf course Saturday with two former professional athletes and the cousin of one of his top advisers.
Obama’s foursome included Ahmad Rashad, Cyrus Walker and Alonzo Mourning, the White House said.
Rashad is a sportscaster and former NFL wide receiver. Mourning is a former center for the NBA’s Miami Heat who has helped raised money for Obama’s campaigns. Later this month, Obama is scheduled to headline a fundraiser for the House Democrats’ campaign arm at Mourning’s Miami home.
Mourning is also helping the administration promote Obama’s new health care law. He played golf with Obama in Florida last November.
Walker is a cousin of Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.
Obama, his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha, arrived Friday afternoon at the Ocean Reef Club for a weekend getaway. The private, by-invitation-only membership club has two championship 18-hole golf courses.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama was looking forward to some warm-weather downtime with his family.
Before escaping the cold weather in Washington, Obama recorded his weekly radio and Internet address. In the message, Obama said he’s hearing from business owners across the country who are voluntarily paying their workers more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
Congressional Republicans are resisting Obama’s pleas to raise the wage to $10.10 an hour, saying it will lead employers to eliminate jobs.
In the Republican address, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman says Obama’s proposed 2015 budget taxes too much and spends too much. Portman says Senate Republicans have a plan to spark economic recovery by getting government out of the way.
DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press
