"Organized Chaos": White House Moving Day

(CBS)  For most of us, moving is a huge headache - packing, unpacking, sorting, arranging.

But for the outgoing and incoming first families, according to CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Bill Plante - not so much! It all happens for them over the space of six hours while they're busy with the inauguration and the parade.

When the president and president-elect leave the White House Tuesday morning on their way to Captiol Hill - as happened with Bill Clinton and George Bush eight years ago - a team of almost 100 people will swing into action - organized chaos, says former White House Chief Usher Gary Walters, who held that position for 21 years.

"It's a bit of a delicate ballet," Walters say, "but everybody has certain projects or functions that they're supposed to do during that time."

When the president-elect first visits the White House, the head usher is ready with briefing books and questions for the new tenant, questions, says Walters, such as "which furniture they want in place, are they gonna have house guests that first night, are there family members who are gonna be sleeping here?"

The Bushes actually began moving out over the summer, so they won't even need a truck Tuesday.

"They didn't come with a lot of things; they didn't bring a lot of furniture here," notes outgoing White House Press Secretary Dana Perino.

That will allow some extra time for the Obama White House extreme make over, Plante observes, accomplished by White House staffers in just six hours.

"They want to put different art, they want to put the pictures, obviously, of their own family," Walters says.

Moving into the White House is bound to be an adjustment, but, says presidential historian and CBS News consultant David Brinkley, it's well-cushioned.

"They're gaining the Camp David retreat, a huge White House, access to Blair House, non-stop limo service, cooks, valets, servants; our country provides a lot to our president."

For the Bushes, Plante adds, the final goodbye to the White House staff they've come to know over eight years will come just before the Obamas arrive for coffee Tuesday.

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Send your pictures, videos and e-mails on Inauguration Day activities to Natali Del Conte Tuesday morning, at [e-mail].

If you're on twitter, you can "tweet" us at Twitter.com/TheEarlyShow.

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To see the CBSNews.com Special Report: Inauguration '09," click here.

[missingamerica]

That was just proven as Bush has just now handed over the keys to the White House to Obama.

Evil liars have said Bush did damage to the Constitution. Today they are proven forever wrong. It''s working fine.

Posted by gctomajtom at 12:34 PM : Jan 20, 2009

Wow - you surely have a low standard for a proof of concept.

That is rather like saying the fact that your neighbor vamoosed out of your bedroom window instead of sticking around is proof of his adherence to the seventh commandment.

[gctomajtom]

Posted by phydeux2

No respect for the Constitution? That sounds more like Bush and friends, not their detractors. LOL

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That''s just stupid talk. That was just proven as Bush has just now handed over the keys to the White House to Obama.

Evil liars have said Bush did damage to the Constitution. Today they are proven forever wrong. It''s working fine.

[phydeux2]

No respect for the Constitution? That sounds more like Bush and friends, not their detractors. LOL

I voted for Bush both times, and I was sorely disappointed. But it wasn''t just his fault, but also the fault of the Democrat Congress.

[ford555551]

Two Million people with two million pair of shoes. The people at the inauguration should throw shoes at those criminals leaving the white house or chase them until they jump into Potomac River.

[gctomajtom]

More trash from CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Bill Plante.

The Bush''s moved all their personal stuff out a couple months ago and its already in Texas. All they have is luggage.

GW Bush has been extremely kind and considerate of Obama. Far more considerate than the pathological hate mongers who stupidly want to blame Bush for everything.

Bush has a 34% approval rating as he leaves office. The Democratic-held Congress has an approval rating of 18% this past week, so that says a lot.

So, Bush wasn''t our worst president by far. Democrat Jimmy Carter had a popularity rating of only 34% when he left office after only 1 term, Nixon had a 24% rating.

The anti-Bush hate-mongers show us that facts make no difference to them. They have no respect for the Constitution, and in that sense are no better than assassins and terrorist who are always trying to bring down Constitutionally elected officials such as out-going President Bush.

http://uspolitics.about.com/od/polls/l/bl_historical_approval.htm

[phydeux2]

I just realized that the president is probably the only American who never has to worry about misplacing his house keys or car keys. LOL

[hissteps4u]

As a Republican who was among Millions of Republicans who voted for Obama many of us have gotten past the Lables spewed by some here. Change was required in the White House. Change is also required and ought to be demanded in Congress as well.

The Time of partinship is Over even if it rears its ugly head again and the business of getting the USA in better shape is in order and demanded by so many of us.

I am happy for Obama and look forward to seeing how much of His Political Capitol he will expend to set things right as quickly as possiable.

God Bless America.

[used2bfedup1]

Kinda funny to me... Neo-cons have only to blame themselves. They elected the only person that could have run a McDonalds into the ground in 2000 and 2004.

Heck Charles Manson could have won this year running against the republicans.

[glidescube]

I would have gladly paid for Bush''s moving van out of my own pocket had he left 7 years ago.

[flight-321]

mrs_zambesi...

How would I be the problem when your rhetoric spews hatred and animosity?

Your solution of generalizing someone is inaccurate and only furthers ignorance of diversity.

Until we as a nation can put the stereotypes aside and use individual actions of a given person as a basis of character we will never truly unite.

Democrate or Republican, people are people, good and bad. To say that one''s political party is in any way indicative of one''s cleanliness is simply laughable.

Now that we have exchanged words I can say without a dought...you''re the problem!