Vacationing Obama can't escape economy

EDGARTOWN, Mass. (AP) — President Barack Obama biked and golfed under a brilliant New England sun today, yet he couldn't escape the cascade of dour news on the economy as his vacation neared its end.

The Commerce Department reported the economy grew at a much slower pace this spring than previously estimated, a mere 1.6 percent. That followed reports earlier in the week on badly slumping home sales and tapering business spending on manufactured items.

Obama has conferred with his economic team on the phone while vacationing. And before his latest round of Martha's Vineyard golf Friday, he met for about 15 minutes in the clubhouse with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to discuss the economy. White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said the conversation was not about a Muslim cultural center and mosque proposed for a site near ground zero.

Bloomberg supports the mosque and Obama has said he believes Muslims have the right to build it, though he has pointedly said he was not commenting on the wisdom of that decision