Obama hails 'extraordinary gathering' of presidents at White House
Associated Press
Published January 7, 2009 at 10:51 a.m.
Updated January 7, 2009 at 1:03 p.m.
Photo by Saul Loeb © AFP/Getty
U.S. President George W. Bush stands with President-elect Barack Obama (2nd L), former President George H.W. Bush (L), former President Bill Clinton (2nd R) and former President Jimmy Carter (R) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 7, 2009. Bush, acting on a suggestion by Obama, invited the former Presidents and President-elect for lunch, the first time since 1981 that all living presidents have been together at the White House.
WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama hailed a rare Oval Office gathering of all U.S. presidents as an extraordinary event today as the current occupant, President George W. Bush, reminded his predecessors and successor that the office "transcends the individual."
"I just want to thank the president for hosting us," the president-elect said, flanked by former President George H.W. Bush on one side and his son on the other.
Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, both smiling broadly, stood with them.
"All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office," Obama said. "For me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary."
In a swift photo opportunity, the current president wished Obama well before all five men headed to a private lunch that lasted about 90 minutes.
"I want to thank the president-elect for joining the ex-presidents for lunch," Bush said, even though he's not quite a member of that club yet.
"One message that I have and I think we all share is that we want you to succeed. Whether we're Democrat or Republican we care deeply about this country," Bush said. "All of us who have served in this office understand that the office itself transcends the individual."
He added: "We wish you all the very best, and so does the country."
Bush and Obama also met privately for roughly 30 minutes. That one-on-one meeting, coming just 13 days before Obama's inauguration, likely focused on grim current events, with war in the Gaza Strip and the economy in a recession.
It had been an entire generation since the nation last saw the tableau of every U.S. president together at the White House. The presidents have gathered at other locations over the years, most recently for the funeral of President Gerald Ford in Washington.
Obama suggested holding the gathering when he met Bush at the White House in November.
All parties seemed determined to keep details of what was discussed confidential.
Describing the lunch only in broad terms after it ended, Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs said: "The president and the former presidents had helpful advice on managing the office, as well as thoughts on the critical issues facing the country right now. The president-elect is anxious to stay in touch with all of them in the coming years."
Obama has sought to strike a balance as the power curve bends his way. Before taking office, he is publicly rallying Congress behind a massive economic stimulus plan. But he remains deferential to Bush on foreign affairs and will not comment on Israel's deadly conflict with Hamas on grounds that doing so would be dangerous for the United States.
"You can't have two administrations running foreign policy at the same time," Obama said at a news conference earlier in the day.
Vice President-elect Joe Biden also held a private meeting with former President Bush at the White House today.
Considering the bond they hold in history, U.S. presidents gets together infrequently, particularly at the White House. And when they are in the same room, it is usually for a milestone or somber moment — a funeral of a world leader, an opening of a presidential library, a commemoration of history.
Not this time.
"It's going to be an interesting lunch," Bush told an interviewer recently. When asked what the five men would talk about, Bush said: "I don't know. I'm sure (Obama's) going to ask us all questions, I would guess. If not, we'll just share war stories."
They have plenty of those, political and otherwise. Their paths to power have long been entwined.
Carter lost the presidency to Ronald Reagan, whose running mate was George H.W. Bush. Bush later won election but lost after one term to Clinton. Then Bush's son, the current president, defeated Clinton's vice president, Al Gore. And this year Obama won after long linking his opponent, John McCain, to Bush.
Those campaign rivalries tend to soften over time as presidents leave the White House and try to adopt the role of statesmen — although Carter, even as an ex-president, has had some critical public words for the current president's foreign policy.
All five men were to pose for a group photo in the Rose Garden, but a January rainstorm scrapped that plan. So the noontime photo opportunity — the media's only glimpse of them — was moved indoors to the Oval Office.
The presidents and Obama were having lunch in a private dining room off the Oval Office, where no one else was expected to join them.
"All of us would love to be flies on the wall and listening to that conversation," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.
The rare presidential joint appearance also offered Bush, who ends his two terms deeply unpopular, to again show he is rising above the fray.
The last White House event to draw the former presidents was a November 2000 celebration in honor of the White House's 200th anniversary. But one of the former presidents, Ronald Reagan, who was afflicted with Alzheimer's, was unable to attend.
All the presidents were last at the White House in 1981: Richard Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan, who was president then. The three former presidents were there before leaving as part of the U.S. delegation to the funeral of Egypt's Anwar Sadat, who had been assassinated.
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January 7, 2009
11:08 a.m.
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Willy writes:
I wonder what that lunch for a group of Keystone Cops cost
January 7, 2009
11:16 a.m.
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wyhammertime writes:
Witch one's are mo curley and shep oh wait they were the three stooges I guess we will have to include dopey and sleepy
January 7, 2009
11:16 a.m.
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temurlan writes:
Let's just hope that Barrack didn't listen to anything that Carter had to say.
January 7, 2009
11:18 a.m.
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ou8one2 writes:
freeman2night, you are correct. Barry has not even taken the oath yet, yet he has had one nomination drop out due to a corruption investigation, and another potential senator (frankin) caught stuffing ballot boxes to win. Congress should save the American people time and money, and start impeachment proceedings right now to end the most corrupt regime in US history.
January 7, 2009
11:22 a.m.
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dilligaf writes:
freeman2night
Since your so good at knowing what will happen could you give me the numbers for tonight's power ball drawing. IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 7, 2009
11:24 a.m.
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Iron writes:
"President-elect Barack Obama hailed a rare Oval Office gathering of all U.S. presidents as extraordinary "
I'd say it would be extraordinary to "have a gathering of all U.S. presidents". Most of them have been dead for years!
January 7, 2009
11:26 a.m.
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LoneTreeLady75 writes:
I didnt vote for any of the presidents in the pic, but it is an awesome and rather historic picture.
January 7, 2009
11:34 a.m.
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tjpatriot writes:
Carter's such a goof. Why don't they send him to Zimbabwe to figure out that mess, since he's the one that created the climate which allowed Mugabe to take over the country and throw-out white rule. Oh, by the way, did you hear? The country of Zimbabwe, sometimes previously referred to as the "Jewel of Africa", was ruined in the process. I'm sure the "Carter Center" could fix it. Never mind that millions of lives were ruined, and well as an entire country. At least Carter's "High Ideals" were upheld. Maybe he can go over there and build a "Hamster Habitat", er, I mean "Habitat for Humanity" home. That will help.
January 7, 2009
11:43 a.m.
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dilligaf writes:
tjpatriot
Say what you want about President Carter (and I and I call him President for respect which you have none) and I'm not a big fan of his. But he is the only one up there that was awarded the Nobel Piece Prize. That don't just give those to anyone you know.
January 7, 2009
11:49 a.m.
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HopiMedicineMan writes:
Dilligaf Backwards
The Nobel PEACE Prize isn't what it used to be. To receive one nowadays, you actually have to possess Marxist political credentials.
January 7, 2009
11:54 a.m.
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CaptainObvious writes:
Wait a minute, ou8one2, wouldn't President-elect Obama have to start at least TWO wars based on lies and greed to surpass the outgoing administration as "the most corrupt regime in US history." That's a pretty tough challenge, don't you think? I'm not sure if these new guys are up to that, what with their inexperience and all. Time will tell though, right?
January 7, 2009
11:55 a.m.
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dilligaf writes:
HopiMedicineMan
Say what you want it is still an honor to recieve it no matter what your political views are. Are calling President Carter a Marxist?
January 7, 2009
11:56 a.m.
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LockNLoad writes:
Dilligaf:
Your ignorance is showing. The only reason Carter got the Nobel Prize was because the Nobel Committee, UItra-socialist gang, wanted to stick their finger in the eye of Bush and America. Carter is an impotent idiot.
Berry Nobama is positioning his team to radically change America in such a way that the Constitution will be irrelevent, and the criminals and terrorist will control the country.
The guy is not even in office yet, and he, and his liberal buddies are embroiled in corruption.
This should be quite an interesting, and probably very painful, four years.
January 7, 2009
12:02 p.m.
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LockNLoad writes:
Dilligaf:
Both Carter and Nobama believe in Marxist principles. If it smells like a duck and walks like a duck.......
January 7, 2009
12:03 p.m.
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temurlan writes:
Rush Limbaugh was nominated for the Nobel Prize.
Just saying...
January 7, 2009
12:07 p.m.
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me2 writes:
lockanload, I really hope in the darkest part of your heart, that you believe every word you wrote. I hope you lay awake at night waiting for the criminals to be let out of jail to control the country. I hope you get all shakey and nervous everytime you see a person you think is a terrorist.
Berry is our new president, and I sincerly hope this makes your chest hurt with rage.
Love your posts though, your pain is my gain.
January 7, 2009
12:09 p.m.
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tjpatriot writes:
You're right, I have no respect for Carter. He is a Major League Dumb@ss. I remember it like it was yesterday when the Iranians took the Americans at the embassy in Tehran hostage, and Carter said he would confine himself to the White House until they were released. I can only imagine the amount of laughter and entertainment that provided to the Iranians over the next year or so. Yes, I'll say it: World Class Idiot.
And as far as the Nobel Peace Prize goes, that has been so politicized that it's largely a joke. GWBush has saved more lives in Africa with his generous efforts to fight AIDS and malaria than Carter could EVER claim. And he has fought to promote freedom around the world which will affect things for generations. The eventual effects can't even be fully imagined at this point. It's really a question of Idealism versus Pragmatism, and in the "Real World", Bush puts Carter to shame.
Some previous Nobel Peace Prize winners:
Kofi Annan
Yasser Arafat
Nelson Mandela
the IPCC and AlGore (tell me THAT one's not going to be a howler in a few years)
January 7, 2009
12:18 p.m.
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INC writes:
the whining of the losers of this last election.
the last time this sort of thing happened it was during Regan's first term.
geeze just be happy we still have a country left after the Oedipus rule of G.dubya bushie.
January 7, 2009
12:18 p.m.
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dilligaf writes:
tjpatriot
Do you also remember like yesterday that Reagan traded arms with a terrorist country (Iran) for hostages? Since you brought up this complete failure GWB. This man is responsible for the murder of 3000+ American soldiers for his lies about WMD's.
January 7, 2009
12:30 p.m.
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tjpatriot writes:
Off the subject, but if Saddam Hussain didn't have WMD's, then how stupid was he?
And yes, I remember it like it was yesterday that the Iranians released the hostages about 4 days before Reagan took office. The best part of that was that Reagan didn't even say anything threatening. He didn't have to. The Iranians just knew that they weren't dealing with Jimmy Carter anymore.
I'm done with this. Next you'll be trotting out your "No Blood For Oil" tripe.
January 7, 2009
12:45 p.m.
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HankReardon writes:
Quick, call the Commissioner. This looks like a job for...
The Ex-Presidents!
January 7, 2009
12:58 p.m.
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Jeff writes:
If you look at an enlarged picture ... is it just me, or does W. appear to be doing something weird with his feet?
January 7, 2009
1:15 p.m.
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FriendlyFire writes:
Obama is living every republican's dream - to be sandwiched by the Bushes
January 7, 2009
1:25 p.m.
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BroncoRick69 writes:
lol GW Bush took the photo opportunity to show he could still hump air.
January 7, 2009
1:52 p.m.
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wyhammertime writes:
Send in the clowns
January 7, 2009
1:55 p.m.
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AC writes:
tjpatriot writes: "And yes, I remember it like it was yesterday that the Iranians released the hostages about 4 days before Reagan took office. The best part of that was that Reagan didn't even say anything threatening. He didn't have to. The Iranians just knew that they weren't dealing with Jimmy Carter anymore."
You gotta be kidding.
You really weren't aware of the whole Iran-Contra thing? Reagan administration's collusion with the Iranians? The October Surprise? You don't really think the Iranians were afraid of toy gun B-movie star Reagan, who would run from Beirut but sure showed those Grenadans a thing or two! Afraid of him? They were going into business with him!
January 7, 2009
2:18 p.m.
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CaptainObvious writes:
You are right, Jeff, W. is rolling his ankles outward, so he is standing on he outside edges of his feet. Weird. Anyone schooled in body language know what this means?
Also, is it just me or is Jimmy Carter shrinking? He looks like a scale model of a human standing next to the others. I'd consider forced-perspective (how they got the hobbits to look shorter for the Lord of the Rings), but the desk is clearly behind all of them. Hmmm.
January 7, 2009
2:27 p.m.
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danirobi writes:
Did anyone hear what Bill Clinton said after the photo op? Someones mic picked up "I really love this room" hahahahahaha, sure you do Bill!
January 7, 2009
3:43 p.m.
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KarlCheney writes:
Sounds like there is a lot of Obama derangement syndrome already. Why do you cons hate America? I'm not sure it would be possible to pass the Bush administration in corruption and ineptitude.
January 7, 2009
3:49 p.m.
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HankReardon writes:
Jeff,
I think it's just that George is so bow-legged from riding horses on his ranch too much. ;)
Soon he'll be riding off into the sunset, but he'll be heading East! ;D
January 7, 2009
3:59 p.m.
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COLibertarian writes:
Great picture. Photographers dream no matter the political affilliation or slant on politics.
Nice to see them all there. Behind closed doors, bet they get along much better than these threads :-)
January 7, 2009
4:24 p.m.
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Triumph writes:
Who cares what Obama said! I guess the President and the former Presidents didn't think it was an 'extraordinary' gathering of presidents.
The media wants everything to revolve around Obama.
January 7, 2009
4:44 p.m.
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KarlCheney writes:
ForSure, Everything should revolve around Obama!!!!!!
January 8, 2009
5:39 a.m.
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Openminded1 writes:
Nixon's regime was the most corrupt ever.