Amongst the many voices expressing opinions about the situation unfolding Gaza, one remains noticeably absent: That of President-elect Barack Obama. Obama has been silent on Israel’s offensive, instead electing to play golf and stick to his daily gym regimen. While most of the media is busy oogling over the President-elect’s glistening pecks and the sudden brilliance of a workout addiction, the Daily Mail in London takes note:

Barack Obama remained silent over the violence in Gaza as Israel today threatened to continue its attacks for weeks.

Instead, the President-elect is continuing his 12-day Christmas holiday in Hawaii and was seen enjoying a round of golf.

He joined a group of friends at a private club near his £6million rented, beach-front holiday home yesterday…

But Mr Obama has made the decision to leave all comments to outgoing President George Bush, who has so far chosen only to attack Hamas.

On the golf course, his security team even turned away a letter from pro-Palestinian campaigners urging him to help stop the four-day-old violence.

There’s just one president at a time, you know. Except for the fact that Obama — officially a private citizen — has access to military bases, receives daily briefings from the current Secretary of State, has a Secret Service detail, has already begun talking about a New New Deal that he hopes to implement, and gives regular press briefings behind a podium with a seal reading “Office of the President-elect”.

Expressing an opinion on the scenario in Gaza would hardly be stepping on President Bush’s toes. It just appears that Obama is, once again, deciding not to take a position on a controversial issue. It looks like he’ll remain largely silent until he absolutely must say something.