Birthday Boy Obama Heads to Chicago

President Obama turns 49 today, and he’ll celebrate the occasion with his friends (but not family) in Chicago. Sources tell Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times that Obama will be dining out at a restaurant he frequents. “I think his plans for tomorrow are dinner with some friends in Chicago,” Robert Gibbs said yesterday, adding, “I think he is looking forward to spending the night in his house for a change.”

It will, however, be an empty house. Michelle Obama is in Spain with Sasha, and Malia is at overnight camp, so Obama will be heading home solo. He also won’t be idle for long; tomorrow, he’ll tour a Ford plant on Chicago’s South Side, and then headline three fundraisers. The RNC, meanwhile, will try to spoil his reverie with a press conference today, attacking him for, among other things, his connection to Tony Rezko. (More Barack Obama stories.)