The World Newser is World News' daily blog. Here, you'll find our staff's thoughts on the day's news and the way we build our broadcast. Plus, we'll share reports from our team of correspondents in the field, as well as producers behind-the-scenes.
RECENT POSTS
- Going Rouge, Selling High
- What One Man 200 Miles Above Earth is Thankful For Today
- Clem's Chronicles: Toyota Recall/Afghan Speech/State Dinner Crashers
- Charlie Gibson...On this Thanksgiving
- Quotes of the Day: 'It is my intention to finish the job'
- Start Your Shopping Engines
- The Hajj and Women's Dress
- Clem's Chronicles: Afghanistan/WH State Dinner/Holiday Travel
- Photos: White House State Dinners Through the Years
- Are We Becoming A Nation of Know-Nothings?
- Quotes of the Day: 'President Obama has the information he wants... to make his decision'
- Clem's Chronicles: Jobs/Afghanistan/Health Care Reform/Deficit
WORLD NEWSER CATEGORIES
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Oval Office Handover Spats, Grudges (& the Occasional Pleasantry)
November 10, 2008 4:42 PM
ABC's John Cochran reports from Washington, DC:
The Bush-Obama meeting at the White House has taken place earlier than previous such get-togethers between incoming and outgoing Chief Executives. Given the country's current economic problems, an early meeting is generally seen as a good thing.
Comparisons will now be made to other presidential handovers. Ronald Reagan's transition team gets high marks for preparation in the weeks after his 1980 election, and is regarded by many as the gold standard to emulate. But beyond the ability of any president-elect's team are the personal feelings that
lame-duck administrations have for the new crowd, and vice-versa. And the personal side is what I remember more than who named his cabinet first or who chose his White House staff first.
I have been around for six transitions as a reporter including Richard Nixon's resignation and Gerald Ford's assumption of power. Some would say there was no transition then because Nixon announced his resignation only the night before leaving office.
But we now know that Ford expected Nixon to leave and planned what he would do on and after the fateful day. Veteran journalist Tom DeFrank has written in a recent book that four months before Nixon quit Ford told him off-the-record that he would soon be president.
Ford's own memoirs acknowledge that, before assuming office, he gave some thought to early actions he might take as president.
No one who saw it will forget Nixon's emotional breakdown as he said goodbye to his staff. And I will never forget, as some of us were led into the Oval Office for Ford's first ceremonial duties, how healthy he looked compared to Nixon's tortured visage in his last hours. Now, THAT was a transition!
Others were less dramatic. When Jimmy Carter defeated Ford two years later, there was no love lost between the two. Years later they would become good friends. But the transition was a frosty affair. Most Ford aides tried to be helpful, but many had less than kind off-the-record remarks about Carter and "his Georgia boys."
The same could be said about George H.W. Bush's aides and their feelings toward president-elect Bill Clinton and his incoming team. During the '92 campaign Bush had told close friends he could not believe the American people would choose a man like Clinton over himself.
But when the American people did just that, Bush --with his impeccable good manners and sense of duty-- told his staff to offer every assistance to the winners.
Eight years later it was Clinton's turn to offer assistance to a Bush, George W. But the turnover was marred when Bush aides claimed that Clinton staffers left behind rude, profane notes, glued drawers shut, and vandalized equipment.
Government investigators later found there had been some vandalism though not as widespread as alleged. One confirmed prank: some naughty Clinton aides removed the "W" from many computer keyboards.
Now, as "W" himself prepares to leave, his staff has been told: no pranks and no damaging of equipment before Obama's people take over. Which means, I suppose, that the letter "O" will remain safe and secure on White House keyboards.
When I started today's blog, I intended to write about a transition I watched from the inside as a very young Army GI stationed at the White House when Ike moved out and JFK moved in. But that's another story, for another day, and another blog.
November 10, 2008 in President 44 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (26)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Here's a question: the DNC raised record amounts of money during its campaign - why is it in debt? It's still raising money?
Posted by: Missy M | Nov 10, 2008 5:27:45 PM
president bush and laura were very gracious.
obama and michelle looked wonderful.
this was a wonderful example of how incredible fantastic our democracy really is.
kudos to all involved.
Posted by: northernlights | Nov 10, 2008 5:52:08 PM
I suppose there is a degree of sadness they must go through leaving such a lifestyle.
What I think is pathetic is the garbage Clinton pulled. It wasn't funny then, and it isn't funny now. In all of those Presidents, he had to be the baby.
Posted by: Trish | Nov 10, 2008 5:53:47 PM
I have been a President Bush basher for 8 years, a Laura Bush supporter or 8 years (I think she is a real lady in every sense of the word) but I must say that I am impressed with President Bush by his very gentlemanly acceptance of Obama to the White House and to his residency. Good job President Bush.
Posted by: democratic | Nov 10, 2008 5:58:21 PM
Here's a question: the DNC raised record amounts of money during its campaign - why is it in debt? It's still raising money?
Posted by: Missy M | Nov 10, 2008 5:27:45 PM
The DNC did raise record amounts of money in fact fund raising wasn't what they thought it should be. Obama's campaign itself did raise record amounts.
Posted by: Jwench | Nov 10, 2008 6:17:11 PM
Indeed, by all accounts President Bush is supporting the transition with grace and tact. Good for him.
Posted by: Concerned | Nov 10, 2008 8:21:13 PM
Well, I bet there won't be any missing silverware this time.
Posted by: LongT | Nov 10, 2008 8:45:01 PM
Bush: You know the place is haunted, right!?!?
Posted by: RenaissanceMan | Nov 10, 2008 9:29:56 PM
While I have a great deal of contempt for President Bush's 8 years in office, I believe he has been classy and gracious in the first overtures to President-elect Obama. I despise the man's incompetence and what his administration has done to destroy the very fabric of this country through their extreme right wing ideology, George W. Bush, the man, may just leave office on the highest note of his Presidency - in the grace he extends to the Obamas.
Posted by: Texas Rose | Nov 10, 2008 10:39:38 PM
Why is everybody so complimentary of Bush's good manners? I dislike the family Bush intensely and anything it had to do with them. (The been hurting America since the 1930's) But I expect the man to act like a normal educated human being who he is. Must I be congratulated because I come to my office and say hello to the staff? You people are really weird! Now we are proud that we have courteous President? Geez!
Posted by: garcia | Nov 11, 2008 1:43:28 AM
To President Bush,am proud of you and what you have achieved in your full term in office.As a proof of your credibility you have embraced your incoming president-elect with warmth and delight and you spoke graciously of Mr Mcain.In all respects you exemplify a man that lived his dream and left the world a better place than he found. I thank God we dont have to worry about fundamentalists who were out to destroy human race in disguise of religion. Bravo my hero! Go thee well and the God of heaven give thee peace joy and good health all the days of your life!
Posted by: Robert Kutswa | Nov 11, 2008 5:42:54 AM
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: Mike | Nov 11, 2008 7:16:56 AM
President and Mrs. Bush have always been gracious. Unfortunately the left can't see beyond their hate for him. There will be no missing "O's" on the White House computers this time. Class is something the Clinton people never had.
Posted by: dsimms | Nov 11, 2008 8:18:15 AM
It's hard to imagine what would happen to President Bush if he were the leader of another country and he was held responsible and accountable for the needless deaths that have occurred in Iraq? I can't stop thinking about the "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" banner on the USS Abraham Lincoln. I'm still wondering if the "MISSION" was "ACCOMPLISHED", then why are we still in Iraq? Oh, I know...We are so deep into it now, how can we get out safely?
Posted by: jonb2565 | Nov 11, 2008 8:21:26 AM
Bush: Son, now that you know what this job is really going to be like, I'm sorry I can't help you find a way to get out of it, it's all yours now.
Obama: Now where are those secret escapes tunnels? And, how come no one told me this is a No Smoking building?
Can you picture on a cold raining winter night, Obama huddled with outside at the designated smokers corner making small talk with the cleaning lady?
Sorry, couldn't resist....ducking and running for cover now........
Posted by: notafan | Nov 11, 2008 8:28:23 AM
Lets put it all to rest. President elect Obama is to be respected and honored as our new leader. No change can happen if we do not support him. Please lets show the world how AMERICANS unite once again as we did with 911. Our strength as a people will make for a great CHANGE. Always remember no one man can lead without the following of his people.
Posted by: Angela | Nov 11, 2008 8:35:56 AM
GOD BLESS THE SOLDIERS, SAILORS, and AIRMEN who have fought for our freedom...and our right to vote. Thank you.
Posted by: DobermanSpencerDobermanSpencer | Nov 11, 2008 10:37:30 AM
Re: "Here's a question: the DNC raised record amounts of money during its campaign - why is it in debt? It's still raising money?"
______________
Hillary Clinton is still trying to get her $11 Million back that she loaned herself when people stopped contributing to her campaign, but she wasn't yet finished criticizing Barack Obama so she loaned herself $11 Million because no one else would give it to her. Hillary is still sending Barack's supporters, asking for contributions to pay herself back. Of course, she's not getting too many bites.
Had Hillary not tried to get Democrats to vote for McCain instead of Obama, and had she not tried to divide the Democratic Party, or tried to destroy Barack Obama, she might have gotten a little more sympathy, and maybe even a lot more money.
Posted by: American Girl | Nov 11, 2008 11:48:30 AM
We have to have hope..Hope that the times will get better...We have had the Greed run wild--Lets hope we can find a solution for all of us..
This country will take a lot to come from the mess we have had for 8 years.
With the help of all of us americans maybe we will get through this.....Out with the OLD and in with the NEW---Hope and faith is all we have-
many of you people out there think it will take 4 years to correct 8 years of disaster???
It going to take us all to get on board....Good luck to us all...Greedom has got to stop--AIG got caught again-$343.000 Taking there people out again....I never get invited--LOL
TAKE CARE ALL
GOD SPEED
LUCK TO US ALL
Posted by: Michael Mooneyham | Nov 11, 2008 12:53:30 PM
Just hours after President Bush and President-elect Obama met in the Oval Office of the White House, details of their confidential conversation began leaking out to the press, igniting anger from the president.
"Senator Obama would be wise to keep close counsel," a top Bush source warned. The ASSOCIATED PRESS quickly followed with details of the conversation, citing "aides who described the discussion on grounds of anonymity, citing the private nature of the meeting."
Bush advisers view the leaks as an effort to undermine the president's remaining days in office. "Senator Obama may not be familiar with a long-standing tradition of presidents holding their private conversations, private," a senior adviser explained.
So much for the smooth transition. . .Who's working for Obama. . .a bunch of 16 year old girls?
Bush should just hand him the keys and be done with it. Obama's "team" obviously isn't up to the task.
Posted by: Present | Nov 11, 2008 1:01:33 PM
Post a comment
