President Obama is in Alaska, refueling en route to Japan and meeting with troops at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

Among the news from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs en route to Alaska:

--Obama’s likely to hold at least one more meeting on the war plans;

--He will not announce his new strategy for Afghanistan until after he returns home from the Asia trip;

--The US is talking with Afghanistan about benchmarks to measure progress once the new strategy is announced.

“Some benchmarks HAVE been discussed,” Gibbs said. “But…the president believes that we have been there for eight years. And we’re not going to be there forever. … It’s important to fully examine not just how we’re going to get folks in but how we’re going to get folks out.”

 “The embassy there is working on agreements with the Afghan government. … I think it’s sufficient to say that whether on the civilian side of our effort, whether on the military side of our effort, or the governance side of the Afghans’, the President will want – has asked for, and will want – benchmarks to evaluate our progress. That’s part of his desire to get a sense of where we are rather than committing to an open-ended conflict.”

--White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is not on the trip, presumably staying in DC to work on health care.

--First Lady Michelle Obama also is not on the week-plus trip, definitely staying in DC to work on the First Family.  “There are two calculations,” Gibbs said. “One’s Malia. And the other one is Sasha. … She has, first and foremost, that responsibility. And being away for so long, she’s taking care of that.”

Maybe it was because he was already in a religious mood, having just lauded the Roman Catholic Church for the canonization of a priest who ministered to people with leprosy in the president’s native Hawaii.

Or maybe it was his personal experience with what many called a miracle: his Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

Regardless, President Barack Obama did something Sunday he rarely does. He went to church.

Obama and the First Family went to St. John’s Episcopal Church for services, the same church he attended on Easter and on Inauguration Day.

He heard a 15-minute sermon on the fact that Christianity has consequences, the story of how a rich man cannot devote himself completely to his faith as long as he’s wrapped up in material possessions. "Our God demands boldness from us," said Mike Angell, the seminarian of the church.

After the service, the Obamas walked back to the White House, just across Lafayette Square.

Organized in 1815, St. John’s has hosted every president since James Madison. One pew is even marked as the “"President's Pew."

Obama, who quit his own church in Chicago when its pastor and his former friend came under political fire, has not picked a church in Washington and only rarely attends services.

Last week, Obama praised the sainthood of Father Damien de Veuster, the Catholic priest who ministered to people with leprosy in the 19th century in a colony he established on the island of Molokai in Hawaii.

"I wish to express my deep admiration for the life of Blessed Damien de Veuster, who will be canonized on Sunday by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI," Obama said in a statement. "I also want to convey my best wishes to the Kingdom of Belgium and its people, who are proud to count Fr. Damien among their great citizens."

First Lady Michelle Obama will travel to Florida next Thursday to attend the Florida Campus Compact annual Awards Gala and Luncheon at the National Historic Landmark Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College, the White House announced.

The luncheon honors service-learning and scholarship.

President Obama wrapped up a whirlwind, 5-hour visit to Denmark today after he and First Lady Michelle Obama made their sales pitch to the International Olympics Committee in Copenhagen today, telling the panel that Chicago is a beautiful, diverse, and safe city.

“I was born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, not far from where the Games would open and close,’’ Mrs. Obama said.

"Sports were a gift that I shared with my dad. Especially the Olympic games. Some of my best memories were sitting on my dad’s lap, cheering on Olga and Nadia, Carl Lewis and others for their brilliance and
perfection. Like so many young people I was inspired.

“I found myself dreaming that maybe, just maybe if I worked hard enough, I, too, could achieve something great. But I never dreamed that the Olympic flame might one day light up lives in my
neighborhood. But today I can dream. And I am dreaming of an Olympic and Paralympic games in Chicago that will light up lives and neighborhoods all across America and all across the world.’’

Her voice quavered as she spoke about how her late dad would have loved seeing the games in Chicago and noted that he suffered from Multiple Sclerosis:

“Even as we watched my dad struggle to hold himself up on crutches, he never
stopped playing with us. And he refused to let us take our abilities for granted. He believed that his little girl should be taught no less than his son. So he taught me how to throw a ball and a mean right
hook better than any boy in our neighborhood. ‘’

“My dad was my hero,’’ she added. “And when I think of what these
Games can mean to people all over the world, I think about people like
my dad: people who face seemingly insurmountable challenges …’’

President Obama, who'd arrived in Denmark just an hour earlier after a fed-eye from DC, wrapped up the U.S. pitch in the competition against bids from Madrid, Rio and Tokyo.

"Nearly one year ago, on a clear November night, people from every corner of the world gathered in the city of Chicago or in front of their televisions to watch the results of the U.S. Presidential
election.  Their interest wasn’t about me as an individual.  Rather, it was rooted in the belief that America’s experiment in democracy still speaks to a set of universal aspirations and ideals.  Their
interest sprung from the hope that in this ever-shrinking world, our diversity could be a source of strength , a  cause for celebration; and that with sustained work and determination, we could learn to live
and prosper together during the fleeting moment we share on this earth.’’

In a question and answer session with the committee, Obama pledged the “full force of the White House and the State Department to make sure not only that these are successful Games but
that visitors all around the world will feel welcome and will come away with a sense of the incredible diversity of the American people."

Afterward, Obama headed to Chrstiansborg Palace to meet with Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik. He was also to meet with Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

The Communications Director at the National Endowment for the Arts resigned Thursday, under fire for leading a conference call in which he pushed participants to create work that supported President Barack Obama’s agenda.

"This afternoon, Yosi Sergant submitted his resignation from the National Endowment for the Arts. His resignation has been accepted and is effective immediately,” the NEA said in a brief statement.

At the same time, the White House issued new guidelines to prevent any future calls from spilling into prohibited political advocacy, reinforcing the point in meetings with chiefs of staff from executive branch agencies.

The controversy stems from an Aug. 10 conference call with arts organizations that was put together by the NEA, the White Office of Public Engagement and United We Serve, the volunteer service program backed by the First Lady. Officials said the call was intended to organize support for service projects.

“On August 10th,  the National Endowment for the Arts participated in a call with arts organizations to inform them of the president's call to national service,” the NEA said in a later statement. “The White House office of public engagement also participated in the call, which provided information on how the Corporation for National and Community Service can assist groups interested in sponsoring service projects or having their members volunteer on other projects.

“This call was not a means to promote any legislative agenda and any suggestions to that end are simply false. The NEA regularly does outreach to various organizations to inform of the work we are doing and the resources available to them."

However, in his e-mail setting up the call, Sergant had said it was aimed at “a new foundation for growth, focusing on core areas of the recovery agenda - health care, energy and environment, safety and security, education, community renewal.”

Afterward, one of the roughly 75 participants on the call, Patrick Courrielche, wrote that the call was an effort to drum up arts support for Obama’s agenda, an effort he found offensive.

“The National Endowment for the Arts was steering the art community toward creating art on the very issues that are currently under contentious national debate; those being health care reform and cap-and-trade legislation,” he wrote. 

“We were encouraged to create art and art initiatives that brought awareness to these issues,” he added later. “Throughout the conversation, we were reminded of our ability as artists and art professionals to `shape the lives’ of those around us…..The making of a machine appeared to be in its infancy, initiated by the NEA, to corral artists to address specific issues. This function was not the original intention for creating the National Endowment for the Arts.”

The White House Thursday insisted that it was all a mistake, not a deliberate effort to use the NEA to drum up organized support for the president’s agenda.

“Though we have made clear that the call was made with the best of intentions and we believe public engagement is an appropriate and vital part of effective governmental functioning, certain comments on the call raised appearance issues that troubled some participants,” White House spokesman Bill Burton said.

“Accordingly, we are now issuing this memo as part of our ongoing effort to make our guidelines as clear as possible and we will be conducting further training sessions and personal visits with staff here to make sure the message gets across.”

President Obama and the First Family arrived on Martha’s Vineyard Sunday afternoon for the storm-delayed start of their week-long vacation.

The First Family left Washington several hours late, waiting for storms to pass, then flew to a Cape Cod airport. Then they flew Marine One on to the exclusive Massachusetts island retreat where the Clintons often vacationed while in the White House.

On friendly, Democratic turf, Obama’s motorcade to his rented estate in Chilmark passed dozens of people who waved, took pictures, and waved signs. “Aloha Obama Family,” said one. “Hope, Obama,” said another.

En route, sandal-wearing White House spokesman Bill Burton urged the press to chill out and give the First Family some privacy.

"He wants you to relax," Burton said aboard Air Force One. “Have a good time, take some walks on the beaches. Nobody's looking to make any news."

Burton said Obama asked that the news media respect the privacy of the president’s daughters.

He also dismissed reports that Obama might visit with ailing Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who lives at the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport nearby. Burton said there were no plans for a visit, despite the two men’s friendship and shared hopes for a major health care overhaul.

While Obama is likely to play golf on the island, Burton brushed aside talk of a possible round with Tiger Woods. “A bad rumor,” said Burton.

In a quick signal of the relaxed vacation mindset aboard Air Force One – beyond Burton’s footwear – First Dog Bo wandered back into the press cabin before Malia Obama came to retrieve him.

Also on board: the president's sister and her family, and senior adviser and close family friend Valerie Jarrett.

President Obama, who grew up in Hawaii, and his wife are hosting a luau tonight for congressional lawmakers and their families on the South Lawn of the White House. One of the draws: a dunk tank. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, White House congressional liaison Phil Schiliro and Gibbs himself would be dunk-able. At an event earlier in the day to promote community service, First Lady Michelle Obama previewed the luau, saying there would be "a great picnic" and "some great hula dancers," then demonstrated the dance, according to the pool report by Salon's Mike Madden. "Try that again," said the president, laughing.

First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters are visiting London after seeing Paris, the Times reports.

The First Family met President Obama in Paris over the weekend as he wrapped up a trip to Egypt, Germany and France. They saw the Paris sites together, then stayed on as the president returned home Sunday.

Now they've been spotted visiting Parliament in London. 

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are out on the town Saturday, making an unscheduled and unannounced trip to New York for dinner and a Broadway show.

The First Couple flew up to New York Saturday afternoon – using a small Gulfstream 500 and wisely forgoing the big 747 that set off such a brouhaha in Manhattan when it flew low over the island a few weeks ago with a fighter jet on its tail, all for an Air Force One publicity photo.

"I am taking my wife to New York City because I promised her during the campaign that I would take her to a Broadway show after it was all finished,” Obama said in a statement.

They headed first toward the Blue Hill restaurant on Washington Place, then were planning to catch “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” at the Belasco Theater.

As they did, the Republican National Committee went on the attack, ripping them for going to a play while crises loom.

“As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan’s theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills,” RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said.

Another release noted the nation’s unemployment rate is expected to hit 9.2 percent when new figures are released next week.

The RNC went on to compare the Obama’s trip to New York to the tale about former President Bill Clinton allegedly tying up air traffic in Los Angeles while getting a haircut on Air Force One. “Americans Have Seen This Show Before,” the RNC headlined.

Finally, the Republican Party noted that Obama made a joke at the recent White House Correspondents Association dinner about the Manhattan flyover of the 747 often used as Air Force One. “Obama May Joke About Air Force One Joyrides,” the RNC said.

(It did not mention former President George W. Bush’s joke at the Radio and Television  Correspondents Association dinner several years ago about the fact that there weren’t weapons of mass destruction in Iraq as he had said when he invaded the country.)

The RNC attack came just weeks after RNC Chairman Michael Steele vowed not to get personal in party criticisms of Obama.

“This is not about personalities,” he said in a speech on May 19 in suburban Washington.

“We're going to challenge those policies that we believe are wrong, and we're going to do so without apology and without a second thought.

“But there's a very important distinction I want to make here. We are going to take this president on with class. We're going to take this president on with dignity. This will be a very sharp and, I think, marked contrast to the shabby and classes way that the Democrats on the far left spoke of and treated President Bush over the last eight years.”

The White House has released President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's latest federal and state tax returns, as well as Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden's returns.

For the president's federal returns, click here,and here or see his Illinois returns. Check the Bidens' federal or Delaware paperwork.

The Obamas' reported adjusted gross was nearly $2.7 million, mostly from sales of his books. The couple paid more than $855,000 in federal income tax and donated $172,050 to a variety of charities.