Why Michelle Obama Vacationed in Spain: To Be With Grieving Friend

Michelle Obama returned to Washington on Sunday from five days on Spain's Mediterranean coast, taking a mother-daughter trip with Sasha, 9, that stirred controversy. A White House source told me, however, that Mrs. Obama traveled to Spain to help a grieving friend deal with the death of her father.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine defended Mrs. Obama on NBC's "Today" show Monday morning. Host Matt Lauer asked Kaine, "If you had a do-over here and you could have planned the first lady's vacation with Sasha, would you have planned the trip that we've just seen her take, given the current economic conditions? Or do you think that was much ado about nothing?"

Kaine replied, "I think it's wrong to talk about the first lady's family vacation as a politician. She's a mom. And, you know, look, I've been in elected office and political life for 17 years, and I've got a wife and I've got three kids. And when you're in office, you don't give up being a mom and a family member too.

"This was an opportunity for Michelle to join friends and friends' daughters with a vacation with her kids and give them some exposure to a part of the world that they hadn't been before. And I don't think you talk about that -- give it political analysis. I'm glad that both the president and first lady are so focused on being good parents."

Mrs. Obama met two friends in Spain, who flew there on their own. The three women were joined by a total of four daughters. (Some news outlets reported Mrs. Obama was on vacation with 40 friends; that was not true.)

One of the women is a longtime Obama friend, Anita Blanchard, an obstetrician who delivered Sasha and big sister Malia, 12. Her husband is Marty Nesbitt, a close Obama friend and treasurer of Obama's presidential campaign fund.

A White House source told me the Mrs. Obama was not able to attend the funeral for Blanchard's father at the beginning of July. Blanchard, who was taking her daughter on a promised trip to Spain, asked the first lady and Sasha to come to Spain with her. (Malia is at overnight camp.) "She felt it was important as a dear friend to do this," I was told.

Mrs. Obama and her friends paid for their hotel rooms and other personal expenses. All first ladies, however, get 24-hour security and transportation on military aircraft. When Mrs. Obama flies on personal business, she pays what amounts to a first-class fare, but taxpayers pick up most of the overhead costs for the plane and security.

A reason Mrs. Obama stayed at the ritzy Villa Padierna in Marbella was security, I was told. Agents were able to secure the lush resort and a nearby beach.

The Spain vacation put the first dent in her brand since becoming first lady. She was criticized for choosing Spain's Costa del Sol instead of the Gulf Coast, where tourism is hurting because of the BP oil spill; for going on another vacation when people in the U.S. face tough economic times; and for incurring taxpayer expenses for the trip.

The story has taken on a life of its own; on Monday morning, news shows and blogs were still debating the merits of the trip and Matt Drudge was featuring stories about it at the top of his page. Politics is about perception. For the record: Mrs. Obama did not attend a charity ball in Marbella hosted by Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria on Saturday night.