HONOLULU — Locals here sometimes call Barack Obama a kamaaina, the Hawaiian word for native-born or one who has lived here for some time. Chicagoans, of course, think of him as a South Sider who often wears a White Sox cap.
Both are correct, and both illustrate an increasing pull on the future 44th president by those who want to use his native-son status for marketing advantage.
So far, Chicago seems to be winning the battle.
But Obama's 12-night vacation on the island of Oahu has again raised Hawaii's profile as an integral place in the narrative of his life.
Obama T-shirts are already scattered amid the dozens of shops that peddle knickknacks along Waikiki Beach.
Some also see the potential for more regular Obama tour bus stops on routes that go to places such as Pearl Harbor and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
"When he lived here, it was 30 years ago," said John Monahan, chief executive of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. "But the Hawaii experience deeply shaped who he is."
Monahan's organization recently established a section on Hawaii's official tourism website called Barack Obama's Hawaii. "You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii," it quotes Michelle Obama, the president-elect's wife.
It showcases the many recreational activities Obama enjoyed when he last vacationed in Hawaii in August.
There are photos of him touring the Arizona battleship memorial, bodysurfing, gazing across a lush valley from a scenic overlook, playing golf and walking on a beach.
On this vacation, he has played golf three times, visited a friend's home on the North Shore, stopped at a marine park, sampled local food and hung out at an ocean-side compound in Kailua.
The Hawaiian marketing effort is similar to one called Presidential Chicago, sponsored by the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, that provides information on Obama hangouts, favorite restaurants and how to get White Sox tickets.
Springfield, Ill., is also working to get a piece of the Obama tourism action, highlighting his years in the Legislature and his announcement for his bid for the presidency outside the Old State Capitol.
Claiming local ties to presidents is a national tradition.
Abraham Lincoln, for example, was born in Kentucky, spent part of his youth in Indiana and made Illinois his home.
But Illinois has most successfully tied itself to the 16th president.
