This must be pure torture.

Apparently, at least for now, President Obama has decided that golf is not an “essential” government function. Or, more likely, he’s decided he can’t get away with it as a PR matter during his current standoff with Republicans.

The White House has informed the press that it should expect no further public presidential activity today. Obama’s weekly Saturday golf is off.

Right now it’s in the upper 80s and sunny at Fort Belvioir, where Obama has been playing lately. None of the usual Washington humidity. That is, it’s a bad day not to be playing golf.