Hawai'i has a tradition of providing a kind of safe harbor for visiting VIPs. Celebrities often touch down here for getaway vacations, and usually they get what they want, largely without the intrusion of paparazzi.

And so Isle residents readily extend that offer of respite to Honolulu-born Barack Obama, presumptive Democratic nominee for president, who arrives today for a week's holiday from the campaign trail.

But many have hoped Hawai'i, at last, would get a rare and, most likely, only chance to hear the candidate speak in person to a hometown crowd.

So it was a welcome move by the campaign to schedule a free public event for this afternoon at Ke'ehi Lagoon.

It's not surprising that now, after such a grueling election-year marathon, Obama would want to bring his family and spend time with his sister and grandmother, who live here.

But until yesterday the only event slotted amid the vacation time was an exquisitely pricey fundraiser set for Tuesday at The Kahala Hotel & Resort. Surely it's only fair that a campaign fueled by thousands of small donations would offer a more inclusive event.

The Ke'ehi announcement came late but should gratify some of the 37,000 voters who swamped Democratic caucus polls in February. Now they and others will have a chance for a close-up look at their party's standard-bearer.

Then the vacation can begin.