Obama Impressed By Bush's Graciousness

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer has covered all of the former presidents who joined George W. Bush and Barack Obama at the White House today.

Schieffer said that Mr. Obama was apparently struck by the current president's graciousness at the Oval Office photo-op with Presidents Carter, Bush and Clinton.

"I got a hold of a friend of Obama's who said that he really took it to heart when the president said that they all wanted him to succeed," Schieffer said. "He, according to this friend, has been very impressed with how gracious President Bush has been. He told the President today that he thought that graciousness was one of the reasons that his transition has gone so smoothly."

On the "CBS Evening News," Schieffer said that Mr. Obama indicated that he plans to keep in contact with all the ex-presidents.

"This really was a remarkable picture that we saw today," Schieffer said. "The last time we had all the living presidents together at the White House was when President Reagan called former President Nixon, former President Carter and former President Ford there before they went off to Anwar Sadat's funeral."

The five men talked about everything from the serious issues of the day to less pressing matters like the White House d?cor.