Katie Couric's Notebook: Power Lunch

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

It was the ultimate power lunch.

President-elect Obama sat down at the White House today with all four members of what may be the world's most elite club - President Bush and former President's Bush, Clinton and Carter.

Who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall for that conversation?

This was the first White House gathering of all living Presidents since 1981. The lunch was Mr. Obama's idea and President Bush was happy to set it up.

On the menu: some good advice, a little inside information, and maybe a few war stories. The president-elect said he hoped to learn from the successes of his predecessors. After all, they tackled some of the same issues now on his plate: economic crises and the never-ending efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.

Mr. Obama gets a lot of advice.

But this was a chance to hear directly from the only men who truly understand the awesome responsibility he is about to face.

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by petersemkiw January 9, 2009 9:23 PM EST: Hope you had a Happy Happy Happy Birthday, Katie!:)

"Our Birthdays are Feathers in the Broad Wing of Time"
Jean Paul Richter

With Love and Best Wishes,:)
Peter; Reply to this comment


by akirayamanak January 9, 2009 3:13 AM EST: Yes, five men met.
Personally considering of the magnitude of the event, the responsibilities that G.W.Bush and B.Obama took and takes may be the hardest. In the end, that''s a transitional period of America, the world and the century.
No one can surely and safely foresee the future.
I can do nothing but live now faithfully and modestly.; Reply to this comment


by attack_iran January 9, 2009 12:05 AM EST: It was a great sight to see.Especially how irrelivant Jimmy Carter is to our nations History as a President.Worse than Bush But Darling Katie would never report that.Nothing to hurt the precious liberals of our country.well I got news for you Couric Gaza is getting what they deserve!They voted in Hamas now they get to reep the wrath of war,and I love it! I cant wait to see how you libs spin this war and turn terrorists into the victim.As for the current status in our country''s economy... I love it.it looks like the playing field is getting leveled.rich people killing thwm selves because they lost millions of dollars.maybe someone will see what it is like to eat cream cheese sandwhiches for break feast lunch and dinner, or work 3 jobs 7 days a week just to live week to week.I want to see it get worse.I want to see people try and adapt to being poor.eating off of the dollar menu, eating Ramen noodles,mac and cheese.then they know what it is like for the poor people of this country.suffer like we did then you will know the value of a dollar.Couric I am sure you spend more on your hair than I do on a car payment.You probably care more about your hair than you do us poor people all you really care about is you liberal left turning this country into San Francisco.....So when it all get worse before it gets better.I can handle it when I have to count quarters to get gas....I laugh I have no shame I cant wait for the day that people like you will have to do the same!; Reply to this comment


by sloopy14 January 8, 2009 6:33 PM EST: I just want to say I''m sick of hearing about the economy being bad, the economy is better than its ever been except if you got a variable interest loan in 2002 or 3 (when interest rates were super low) and now the rates are higher of course there''d be problems for those folks unless they made more money or made plenty to begin with. No one else in this country is having trouble at all, but because the press stuffs it down people''s throats alot people believe this stuff and don''t conduct business as usual which cripples our country. Also I would like to say that no bailout package will work in places where there is actually a problem, they must humble themselves and do right. I think its fine if the government would help them not the rest of these companies that they helpd; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw January 8, 2009 3:00 AM EST: Dear Katie,

That was a very historic power lunch, and I think it was a great idea of President Elect Obama''s!Only thing is, they should have invited you and then they could have made the Power Lunch into a Happy Birthday Party for you,too!:)

And a fly on the wall told me he overheard the following joke at the Power Lunch:
What do George Washington, Abraham Lincoln,Katie Couric, and Christopher Columbus all have in common?
They were all born on Holidays!:)
And that YOU, Katie, were born on Christmas Day, at least according to the Julian Calendar of Julius Caesar!:D

Hey! There''s still time to wish you a Happy Happy Birthday again!:D

So I will! Happy Happy Birthday:D

Peter; Reply to this comment