What Happened Between Bush And Obama?

(CBS)  By CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller

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The White House didn't try to hide its irritation with reports in the morning papers that President Bush tried to wrangle a legislative deal with President-elect Obama.

News accounts in the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Associated Press among others, said that Mr. Bush would support another economic stimulus package or massive loans to troubled automakers, if Mr. Obama gets the Democratic Congress to approve the pending Free Trade Agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

Both the Times and the Post attributed their accounts to "people familiar with the discussion." The A.P. quoted "aides to the Democrat" - meaning Mr. Obama.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino denied the reports and denounced those peddling it.

"In no way did President Bush suggest that there was a quid pro quo when it came to (the) Colombia Free Trade Agreement," Perino told reporters.

Later in the day, Obama Transition Chief John Podesta also called the reports "inaccurate" declaring "there was no quid pro quo in the conversation" between the president and the president-elect.

Perino was adamant that Mr. Bush did not try to create any linkage between getting the trade deals passed by a lame duck session of Congress this month, in exchange for supporting the stimulus plan and/or automaker loans called for by top Democrats.

"I've also gotten several requests wanting to know if there is irritation at the White House towards the Obama team," said Perino, "and you're not going to hear that from me."

But moments later, she took aim at the "two anonymous aides - or one anonymous aide who is apparently telling this story."

She said some reporters told her that others "on the Obama team" urged them not to write this story "because it was inaccurate."

"So look, I'll let unidentified aides defend themselves, if you guys can find them," she said to reporters covering the President's Veterans Day visit to New York.

"But I can tell you here, on the record, not afraid to say it: the President does support free trade - that's no secret." But Perino again denied any "quid pro quo" between the trade deals and the economic plans.

She said the president and the president-elect "have policy differences - but that doesn't mean they're not both interested in helping improve the economy for the benefit of American citizens."

For weeks now, the White House has resisted Democratic calls for another economic stimulus package this year. The administration is not persuaded it would have the desired effect of truly providing a boost to the troubled economy.

As for massive government loans to the nation's automakers, she said the administration doesn't see anything in the $700-billion bailout package "that would give us the authority to help individual industries."

But she left the door open to future congressional action.

It sets the stage for some acrimonious dealings between the White House and the lame duck Congress in the coming weeks.

Mr. Bush acknowledged as much at the start of his speech Tuesday aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid - which he re-dedicated as an Sea, Air and Space Museum.

Recognizing some members of Congress in the audience, including House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, Mr. Bush said "looking forward to that lame duck session, aren't we?"

But the laughter the crack elicited may be short-lived.

By Mark Knoller

[lewby54]

God has restored his protective hand over the United States.
Obama''s win, signifies Gods will and blessing.
It is the Democrats with tolerant points and goodwill
which show how bad and thoughtless the Republican party has been.
Younger people and ignorants in general were brainwashed into thinking that McCain/Palin and Bush would be good leaders in a Fascist America. One problem though, the Democratic Victor, Barack Obama has shaken the Republican party to the point of near extinction. Their main core value,(Trickle down your leg economics),dosen''t work! When the Secretary of the Treasury arrives before Congress, hat in hand and tells the Congressional leaders the economic policy/philosophy of the last 8 years has been seriously flawed, it becomes a National Security Event. Luckily for America, it was Decision 2008.
A message was sent to the world, that revolution in America is done quietly and quickly and most importantly, through the ballot box. Through this last election alone, American''s have proven to themselves, to their allies, and to their enemies, we ARE the shining light in the darkness. The great beacon of hope in this treacherous world. Certainly the most civilized of civilized nations, and that we can and will, effect the peaceful change that globally has become a neccesity.
First the change begins at home.
h t t p://w w w.squidoo.com/Revolution_by_vote

[nikosk11]

Obama does NOT negociate with loosers!!!!!!

[shanev137]

Still being unaware that he''s been the punchline of the Republican party joke for the last 8 years, little Bush is trying to throw his weight around in his final days like an insignificant tyrant.

[McHineguy]

I believe it got leaked, so that Americans would know that Bush was trying to get Mr. Obama to agree to the last of the neocon agendas before they lose power for the next 32 years.



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Posted by brianbwb at 08:14 PM : Nov 11, 2008

I believe it has sent a message to any future head of state who plans to meet with Obama. That message is: "Be careful or this guys staff is gonna tell the world what we say". The result is going to be a lot of information held back to avoid risking it public.

Never play games with diplomacy. And this was a game. I see no reason for the Bush team to lie about the meeting contents. They are only marking time to Jan 21. I see a record of alliance between the Obama team and New York Times. My guess is it was a favor from the Obama team to a loyal reporter/supporter that has backfired on them both.

I was HOPING for a cleaner, more honest form of CHANGE.

[brundage3]

"Globilization" = A word OF the present FOR a common system of economics, used to be called "One World."

A concept which looks to 100 years or more of actions in order to establish it as reality, is one it is all to easy to hang too many detailed requirments upon. For example,,,

If folks on the Mayflower had a concept of creating, a new nation on the shores they came to which WOULD stretch SOME day from the ocean they knew, (Atlantic) to one which was at best a foggy notion only, THAT would have been one thing.

But if the concept were detailed from the start. Gography which determined patterns of settlement, the wealth of the country, the ability to traverse it with adequate speed to keep it unified, the placement of it''s nothern and southern borders, etc. etc. The concept of one nation, sea to sea might well have been lost in a sea of ink or abandoned in frustration.

Identify a concept, a basic,lean idea. Write it tiny on a huge wall. Let it stand out. A single simple thought surrounded by "white space" upon a blank wall.

THAT kind of concept will survive and thrive for your 100 to 150 years. It will remain the focus of growth until it is achieved in many, many single steps which canNOT be forecast but CAN be GUIDED.

''Til we end up with,,, "Globilization." -

(: Or maybe, "1 world !" :)

[earache4]

What Happened Between Bush And Obama?

Obama:

"You have the right to remain silent...."

[brianbwb-2009]

"I never read the book, but it certainly appears that Orwell was a prescient guy." Posted by incog-nito

Oh man, you have no idea how prescient.

Written in 1938, this book should have been required reading. You can find and read it online, and I strongly recommend it, a lot of today''s news will make a lot more sense to you afterward.

[brianbwb-2009]

"...please understand I am an AMerican and I am not playing..." Posted by DJ_IL

Friend, I do understand, and also am quite serious, if we don''t effect some massive change from what our country has become, very soon we won''t have a country to try to fix.

For those my age who doubt, don''t forget when we were kids, it was the US vs. the USSR, and no one thought the USSR would collapse. They could, and did, we also can, the question is will we avoid it?

[brianbwb-2009]

"Not that it matters, but are you a US Citizen? I mean no disrespect I just asking, because my offer stands but I don''''t want to be made a fool/" Posted by DJ_IL

Absolutely, born in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park, in 1956, fourth of six kids, from generations of Americans.

[toolmangler-2009]

Even we are not yet ready for it.
Posted by brianbwb at 08:47 PM : Nov 11, 2008



That is the reason I said it must happen slowly. over a period of many decades and if psssible on a schedule.