President Obama's 50th Birthday Weekend Ends

Back from Camp David & onto the campaign trail... President Obama's 50th birthday weekend came to an end on Sunday afternoon as he returned to the White House from Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, landing on the South Lawn at 1:52 PM. The weekend was, to say the least, harrowing. On Saturday, the Taliban took credit for a rocket attack that downed a US helicopter in Afghanistan, killing 30 members of the US military, including 22 members of SEAL Team Six. The President was briefed and issued a condolence statement. On Friday, Standard and Poor's downgraded the US credit rating, to devastating results across the financial world.

Still, the President smiled and waved to reporters as he walked across the South Lawn with First Lady Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, Roxanne Nesbitt (daughter of family friends Marty Nesbitt and Anita Blanchard), and nephew Avery Robinson (at top). All attended the President's pull-out-the-stops 50th birthday party at the White House on Thursday. Celeb guests included Jay-Z, Charles Barkley, Chris Rock, Hill Harper, Emmitt Smith, Grant Hill, Hill Harper, as well as close friends and politicos.

Also joining the President at Camp David this weekend were Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, body man Reggie Love, and official photographer Pete Souza. (Above: A rare photo of the President in his office at Camp David, receiving the briefing on the death of US forces)

The President returns to the campaign trail on Monday, with two DNC events in Washington; one at a private home, and one at the St. Regis Hotel. The President has no other public events on his schedule for Monday.

*Top photo by AP; second by Pete Souza/White House