NEWS

Obama has 'baby time' with Raul Ruiz's twins at airport

Denise Goolsby
The Desert Sun
President Barack Obama holds Sky, the daughter of Rep. Raul Ruiz, during his fifth visit to the Coachella Valley.

Not long after Air Force One touched down at Palm Springs International Airport on Saturday, President Barack Obama was cradling one of Rep. Raul Ruiz's baby daughters in his arms.

Ruiz — who greeted the president upon his arrival along with Rancho Mirage Mayor Dana Hobart, Agua Caliente Tribal Chairman Jeff Grubbe and others — will celebrate his first Father's Day on Sunday.

The congressman and his wife Monica are the parents of twin 3-month-old daughters, Sky and Sage. All were in attendance for the president's arrival. Monica and the girls waited in the shade while Ruiz walked with Hobart, Grubbe over to Air Force One to meet Obama.

President Barack Obama cradles Sky Ruiz, 3-month-old daughter of Congressman Raul Ruiz, after his arrival at Palm Springs International Airport on Saturday, June 20, 2015.

Soon after, the group, led by the president, walked over to the twins.

"Once I told the president that I brought my babies here, he wanted to come and see them, and it's just amazing that he would do that and walk over," he said.

Ruiz said Obama told him he wanted a "little baby time." The president's wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia are in Europe.

"It just goes to show the good-natured character of our president and … how amazing it is that having my parents work in the fields and come from very humble beginnings to be able to have their grandchildren be held by the president of the United States just speaks volumes of the greatness of our country and the opportunities that we have in our country."

Ruiz said the president just held one of one the babies — Sky was the lucky gal — which may give him headaches when Sage gets a little older, he said laughing.

Rep. Raul Ruiz and his wife, Monica, hold their 3-month-old daughters Sky and Sage at the Palm Springs International Airport on Saturday, June 20, 2015.