Bush Welcomes Obamas To White House

President-Elect And Outgoing President Discuss Transition Of Power In Private Meeting Monday

(CBS/ AP)  President-elect Barack Obama and President Bush gathered for their first face-to-face meeting Monday, an Oval Office session that came during a historic shifting of power to a new administration.

Neither the incoming nor the current president spoke to reporters at Mr. Obama's arrival or departure Monday afternoon. Mr. Bush walked Mr. Obama to his limousine as he left.

The Obamas spent just under two hours at the White House.

Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, arrived at the South Portico 11 minutes early with President Bush and first lady Laura Bush waiting for them. Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Obama enjoyed a warm greeting, while the president and his successor exchanged smiles and a handshake.

Taking a bit of prerogative, the president-elect put his left hand on Mr. Bush's back as the two couples entered the Diplomatic Reception Room.

Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama strolled along the Colonnade and waved for their cameras while their wives began a meeting of their own. The president and the president-elect then headed into the Oval Office to talk about the future of the country, with topics likely including the financial crisis and the war in Iraq. Mr. Bush allowed Mr. Obama to enter the historic office first.

It was the president-elect's first visit to the White House since his landslide election victory - and his first visit ever to the Oval Office.

After the meeting Bush White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that the president described the meeting as "constructive, relaxed and friendly," covering problems at home and abroad, and said he personally pledged a smooth transition. Mr. Bush gave Mr. Obama a sneak peek at White House highlights, such as the Lincoln Bedroom and the president's office in the residence, after their hour-plus in the Oval Office.

Mr. Obama's transition team released a statement saying that Mr. Obama and Mr. Bush had a "productive and friendly meeting."

"They had a broad discussion about the importance of working together throughout the transition of government in light of the nation’s many critical economic and security challenges," the statement continued.

The president and Mr. Obama also talked about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and financial crisis. At the same time, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama talked about raising daughters in the nation's most famous house. Then Obama flew back to Chicago to work on setting up the new administration that will take over on Jan. 20.

Aides to Mr. Obama said that he also suggested to Mr. Bush that the administration immediately help struggling U.S. automakers. (Read more)

The scene was a sunny fall day with moderate temperatures and colorful - but fading - autumn leaves.

The Obamas' arrival had the look of a foreign head-of-state state visit - although there were no fife and drum bands, speeches or official pageantry.

Mr. Bush invited Mr. Obama for the private talk, a rite of passage between presidents and successors that extends for decades.

If there are any lingering bad feelings from nearly two years of Mr. Obama hammering Mr. Bush on the campaign trail, the president has been careful to keep them very well hidden, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

The moment is steeped in history, part of a symbolic changing of a guard to Democratic leadership and the country's first black president.

"I'm going to go in there with a spirit of bipartisanship, and a sense that both the president and various leaders of Congress all recognize the severity of the situation right now and want to get stuff done," Mr. Obama said last week when asked about his meeting with Bush.

Mr. Obama won the presidency in an electoral landslide on Tuesday. He ran a campaign in which he relentlessly linked Republican opponent John McCain to Mr. Bush and presented his ideas as a fresh alternative to what he called Mr. Bush's failed policies.

Yet the tone changed almost immediately after Mr. Obama's win.

Mr. Bush, who had endorsed McCain, lauded Mr. Obama's victory as a "triumph of the American story." He warmly invited the Obama family to the White House.

Mr. Obama, in turn, thanked Mr. Bush for being gracious. The president-elect has made clear to the people of the United States and those watching around the world that there is only one president for now, and that's Mr. Bush. Mr. Obama is in the transition to power but does not assume the presidency until Jan. 20.

"There’s a lot of play-acting involved when a President-elect of the opposition party is received at the White House by the outgoing President," writes CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller. (Read more from Knoller.)

Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Obama met privately as well. Mrs. Bush gave Mrs. Obama a tour of the first family's living quarters.

The first lady and Mrs. Obama discussed raising daughters in the White House, according to a statement from the transition team. "Mrs. Obama was honored to finally meet the First Lady, who was a gracious hostess."

Mrs. Obama also met with Admiral Rochon, the White House Chief Usher.

Unlike the incoming president, Mr. Bush knew his way around the Oval Office by the time he was elected in 2000 - his father had been president. Still, like many before them, President Clinton and President-elect Bush had their own private meeting, keeping up a tradition that temporarily puts the presidency above politics.

Mr. Obama has been to the White House before, including an emergency leadership session to deal with the financial crisis in September.

But an Obama spokeswoman said the president-elect has never been in the Oval Office.

[antoniof123]

To grant a pardon one must have a conviction...

Posted by IOWEIGN
======================
Nixon was convicted of what?

Posted by gop_will_Win at 09:24 AM : Nov 11, 2008

No one does not need a conviction one must be guilty of a crime....

Once a pardon is excepted you can not be tried for the crime and in Nixons'' case he was pardon for any and all that may be found he did not specfic look at how Ford worded it and learn.


That said does anyone realize that the white house is government houseing.

Just though I would throw that out for a laugh.

[xzonz]

i saw the pics of clinton welcoming bush to the WH, it showed the front view. does anyone have the front view pic of Bush and pres Obama?

[germanmom]

He comes from Texas, where they are known for their hospitality!

[gop_will_win]

To grant a pardon one must have a conviction...





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by IOWEIGN
======================
Nixon was convicted of what?

[ioweign]

No they are not. Bush will be granting pardons for all including himself. Hahaha the joke is on you liberals!

Posted by gop_will_Win at 08:54 AM : Nov 11, 2008



To grant a pardon one must have a conviction...

[gop_will_win]

Absolutely Bush is being gracious to President Obama. Bush and his cabal are scared to death that they will be held accountable for spitting on our Constitution, spying on and torturing Americans, outing a CIA agent, forging documents and lying us into a trumped up war. Bush is a criminal, but he is not dumb.
Posted by n8yvn29
==========================
No they are not. Bush will be granting pardons for all including himself. Hahaha the joke is on you liberals!

[bjrober]

Why can''t we in this country try to get along with each other and stop all this hate and back-biting. I thought after the election we would come together as Americans and try to bring this country back to honor and graciousness, but it seems like hate is in the heart and these people will never change.

I am a Widow of a Vietnam vet and if he were alive he would encourage us all to do the same. We have these young people who are so impressionable, why can''t we show them what true Americans really are?????

[earache4]

"Bush Welcomes Obamas To White House"

Good to see Bush knows where the white house is...he was on vacation most of the time he was in office....

[omnibus66]

''I know the president will want to convey to President-elect Obama his sense of how to deal with some of the most important issues of the day.'' - Josh Bolten

Advice that will be weighed against the overwhelming success that Bush has had in dealing with foreign and domestic problems over the past eight years. Maybe good for a laugh or two, nothing else.

[jodyrae4]

you people are something...good grief..this country needs help with all the hate

[earache4]

Obama to Shrub:

"Say, don''t leave town after January 30..."

Shrub:

"Pardon me?"

Obama:

"Not hardly...."

[n8yvn29]

Absolutely Bush is being gracious to President Obama. Bush and his cabal are scared to death that they will be held accountable for spitting on our Constitution, spying on and torturing Americans, outing a CIA agent, forging documents and lying us into a trumped up war. Bush is a criminal, but he is not dumb.

[pirmin3]

Barrack, you''d better count the silverware when GW leaves. He''ll be giving out souvenirs of the worst president in the history of the United States.

[downtowner97]

Did Bush show Obama the "libary"?

[khalif-obama]

Gotta love a country where people can go at each other''s throats one day and the next they are swapping spit.

[topcatcat]

NO COMMENT AT THIS TIME. TO EARLY

[popstom12]

obamanation will be well hated by 2010

[boatdocster]

From Dave Letterman -

Obama visits Bush at White House...

Today the President-Elect met with the President-Inept

Thank you Dave - 100% accurate!

[fromtexsux]

so I would deduce that some of the dumbest people in the nation reside in pennsylvania and alaska

Posted by jgg0002 at 11:42 PM : Nov 10, 2008

Apparantly, Alaska has the larger ratio and Murtha is right. I''m from Pennsyl-tucky; I know. The problem is, they weren''t offended by the comment. They wore it like a badge of honor.

[fromtexsux]

is stevens in?


Posted by jgg0002 at 11:36 PM : Nov 10, 2008

Convictions and all.