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November 10th, 2008 at 8:39 pm

Video & Photos: President-Elect Barack Obama President George W. Bush White House Visit 11-10-08

in: Politics

President George W. Bush and President-Elect Barack Obama White House symbolic visit November 10, 2008

U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama made the symbolic visit to the White House and met with U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush on November 10, 2008.  The visit between the current  President and President-Elect is a longstanding tradition in the transfer of power from one administration to the next.  This visit took place a mere six days after the election, which is uncharacteristically early, but deemed necessary with the challenges the present and future administrations face with the economy and the ongoing war in Iraq.

When the president and Mrs. Bush greeted the Obamas at the driveway on the South Lawn, the women hugged and their husbands shook hands, with Mr. Obama using the two-handed greeting common among senators, with his left hand on Mr. Bush’s right arm during the handshake. The two men were dressed almost identically in dark blue suits, white shirts and blue ties. Ms. Bush wore a brown suit, and Ms. Obama a burnt-orange dress.

A few minutes after the couples entered the White House together, Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama reemerged and strolled along the colonnade past the Rose Garden to the outer entrance to the Oval Office. Mr. Obama walked just at Mr. Bush’s shoulder and appeared to be speaking animatedly, gesturing with both hands. Each of the men waved several times to reporters and others off camera.

 

While Ms. Bush showed Ms. Obama the White House, their husbands met for just over an hour in the Oval Office, discussing the transfer of power from Mr. Bush’s conservative Republican administration to a presumably much more liberal Democratic leadership.

Mr. Obama saw the Oval Office in person for the first time, just 10 weeks before he will make history by returning as its first black occupant. A physical reminder of the coming change was provided by construction equipment gathered in Lafayette Park across Pennsylvania Avenue from the north side of the White House. The equipment is soon to be put to work building glass-fronted, heated viewing stands where the Obama team will view the inaugural parade on Jan. 20.

Source: As Transfer of Power Begins, Obamas Visit White House

President George W. Bush and President-Elect Barack Obama meet in the Oval Office (Photo credit: White House/Eric Draper)

Meeting without aides in the Oval Office, Bush and Obama talked primarily about the economy, as Obama pressed his case for rapid passage of a new economic stimulus package and help for the automobile industry, aides said. Then the pair took a stroll through the residence before returning to the West Wing. Their wives embarked on their own tour of the building that will soon be home to the Obamas and their daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.

First Lady Laura Bush and Michelle Obama White House symbolic visit November 10, 2008
First Lady Laura Bush meets with President-Elect Barack Obama’s wife Michelle Obama in the private residence of the White House (Photo credit: White House)

The meeting came after two years of sharp, if indirect, skirmishing between Bush and his Democratic successor, whose candidacy was built as a rebuke to the Republican administration. Obama condemned Bush’s “failed policies” and said John McCain, the GOP nominee, would represent “another four years” of the unpopular commander in chief. Bush once suggested that Obama was naive on Iraq and said at another point: “He’s got a long way to go to be president.”

The two couples were all smiles yesterday, however, with no evidence of tension. Stephanie Cutter, an Obama spokeswoman, said afterward that the Obamas were “warmly welcomed” and that the Oval Office meeting was “productive and friendly.”

Source: Obamas Make Symbolic Visit to Future Home: White House

Photo credit:  White House

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Video & Photos: President-Elect Barack Obama President George W. Bush White House Visit 11-10-08


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