White House: Obama likely to curtail holiday trip

KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) — President Barack Obama is likely to cut short his traditional Christmas holiday in Hawaii to return to Washington as lawmakers consider how to prevent the economy from going over the so-called "fiscal cliff," the White House said Tuesday.

Obama could fly back to the nation's capital as early as Wednesday, just five days after arriving in Hawaii, White House officials said. In the past, the president's end-of-the-year holiday in his native state has stretched into the new year.

Congress is expected to return to Washington on Thursday. The White House and Congress must reach a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff," the automatic budget cuts and tax increases that are set to begin in January. So far, the president and congressional Republicans have been unable to reach agreement on any alternatives.

Lawmakers have expressed little but pessimism for the prospect of an agreement coming before Jan. 1. On Sunday, Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas said she expects any action in the waning days of the year to be "a patch because in four days we can't solve everything."

The Obamas were spending the holiday at a rented home near Honolulu. On Christmas Day, the president and first lady Michelle Obama visited with Marines to express thanks for their service.

"One of my favorite things is always coming to base on Christmas Day just to meet you and say thank you," the president said. He called being commander in chief his greatest honor as president.

Obama took photos with individual service members and their families.