The Republican presidential candidates are talking about a lot of things on the campaign trail these days, especially President Obama's record.

But one issue goes virtually unmentioned: The presidency of George W. Bush.

"While the candidates routinely lionize Ronald Reagan and blame President Barack Obama for the nation's economic woes, none has been eager to embrace the Bush legacy of gaping budget deficits, two wars and record low approval ratings -- or blame him for the country's troubles either," reports the Associated Press.

Some conservatives did not like Bush's international ventures, particularly in Iraq.

Others criticized Bush spending programs, such as the prescription drug program. Bush also signed the the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), denounced by some Republicans as a "bailout."

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President Obama is back at the White House, ready for the first day of the rest of his first term.

Whether there will be a second term depends on what happens over the next 10 months.

The Associated Press notes that Obama, returning to work the same day as the Republican caucuses in Iowa, "plans to make his presence in the campaign known quickly."

Obama and his family landed at the White House shortly after 7 a.m., following an overnight flight from their vacation in Hawaii.

Tonight, Obama conducts a video chat with Democrats who are caucusing in Iowa.

On Wednesday, the president flies to Cleveland to talk about the economy.

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Good morning from The Oval. On this day in 2008, Sen. Barack Obama won the Iowa Democratic caucuses and began his rocket rise to the presidency.

This morning, the president and first lady Michelle Obama are making their way back to the White House after his vacation in Hawaii.

The president holds a series of private meetings on his first day back, including one with Vice President Joe Biden. Obama also meets with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who is developing a plan to cut the military budget.

And tonight -- just like the Republicans -- the president participates in the Iowa caucuses. He holds a video teleconference with Democratic caucus-goers; the president is expected to win Iowa again, easily.

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Newt Gingrich is seeking to salvage his Iowa campaign by going after President Obama -- and suggesting the president give up his salary in 2012 because of reports he will spend most of the year seeking re-election.

At a campaign appearance this morning in Independence, Iowa, Gingrich blasted reports that Obama and his re-election team will run against a "do-nothing" Congress in 2012.

"For the president's staff to announce that he's now going to govern without Congress," Gingrich said, reports the Des Moines Register. "Well, that means he's not going to govern. He's going to be a candidate for an entire year. He shouldn't take his salary.

"He shouldn't pretend he's president because he's just a candidate because he's not doing the job of a president."

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When President Obama returns to the Oval Office tomorrow, one of the items on his short-term agenda is a long-standing battle over a major oil pipeline.

The bill Obama signed in December extending the payroll tax cut for two months included a provision calling on the president to approve a pipeline running from Canada to Texas, or explain his objection.

Obama faces a late February deadline to make a declaration.

White House aides say the Keystone XL pipeline requires more environmental study, a process being supervised by the State Department.

It's a political challenge for Obama. His environmental supporters oppose the 1,700-mile project, calling it too risky; but union backers of the president say they want the construction jobs.

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The Republican Party believes it has found an effective spokesman to pit against President Obama this election year.

President Obama himself.

The party is putting together a 500-page book of Obama quotes and video links that in their view reflects the president's broken promises.

In reviewing the document, The Washington Post reports that "television and Internet ads will juxtapose specific Obama promises of job gains, homeowner assistance, help for people in poverty, lower health insurance premiums and stricter White House ethics standards against government data and news clippings that paint a different reality."

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With President Obama scheduled to return to Washington, D.C., late tonight, he spent his last full day in Hawaii on family matters.

Obama, wife Michelle, and their two daughters visited an anthropological exhibit on Sunday featuring the work of the president's late mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.

The family also visited the gravesite of Obama's grandfather, Stanley Dunham.

After a few hours on the beach, the Obamas ended Sunday at dinner with family and friends at Nobu Waikiki.

The president and his family have an overnight flight back to Washington. The are scheduled to depart Hawaii at 5 p.m. Honolulu time -- 10 p.m. Washington, D.C.

They will arrive back at the White House early Tuesday morning.

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President Obama's video team signed off on 2011 with a highlight reel from the past year.

The video -- part of the administration's West Wing Week series, featured on the White House Blog -- features Obama in presidential mode across the country and the world ("from Australia to Iowa, Bali to France, Hawaii to Massachusetts").

The president is seen dealing with political issues, from preparing to drive newly built energy efficient cars to the recent debate over the extension of the payroll tax cut.

Some of the video clips look distinctly campaign-like, from holding babies to admiring livestock and crops.

"This is an incredible looking pumpkin," Obama says at one point.

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President Obama's aides are making it clear they have already identified their 2012 re-election opponent.

Congress.

"In terms of the president's relationship with Congress in 2012 .... the president is no longer tied to Washington, D.C," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in Hawaii, where the president is spending his end-of-the-year vacation.

So expect more executive actions by Obama in the weeks leading up to his Jan. 24 State of the Union address, continuing his theme that "we can't wait" for Congress act.

Also expect more battles with the Republican-run U.S. House, such as the recent dispute over extending the payroll tax cut. The parties eventually agreed to a two-month extension, meaning the payroll tax cut battle would well resume before the end of February.

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President Obama ended 2011 by signing a major defense bill, despite what he called "serious reservations" about provisions regarding interrogations of terrorist suspects, sanctions against Iran, and relations with Russia.

"Some in Congress continue to insist upon restricting the options available to our counter-terrorism professionals and interfering with the very operations that have kept us safe," Obama said in a statement issued from Hawaii, where he is spending his end-of-the-year vacation.

Another provision that drew Obama administration criticism is one that penalizes foreign financial firms that do business with Iran's central bank; officials said the provision could lead to higher oil prices, hurting economy recovery in the United States and across the globe.

Obama also objected to a provision requiring Obama to submit a report to Congress prior to sharing any information with Russia about a U.S. ballistic missile defense system.

Wrote Obama: "While my Administration intends to keep the Congress fully informed of the status of U.S. efforts to cooperate with the Russian Federation on ballistic missile defense, my Administration will also interpret and implement section 1244 in a manner that does not interfere with the President's constitutional authority to conduct foreign affairs and avoids the undue disclosure of sensitive diplomatic communications."

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