Pool Report of Obama's Meeting With Presidents

Pool Report 1
Jan. 7, 2009
Washington, DC

President Bush held a photo op at noon in the Oval Office with former presidents and President-elect Barack Obama before lunch in the private dining room at the White House.

The five men stood side-by-side and close together in front of Bush's desk. From left were George H.W. Bush, Obama, POTUS, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. President Bush looked at Obama several times as he spoke and Obama nodded his head. They shook hands after Bush's brief remarks. Then Obama gave his own. Below is a transcript:

Obama: How are you guys? Good to see you.
Bush: I want to thank the president-elect for joining the ex-presidents for lunch. And 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. And to the extent we can we look forward to sharing our experiences with you. All of us who have served in this office understand that the office itself transcends the individual and we wish you all the very best and so does the country."
OBAMA: :I just want to thank the president for hosting us. This is an extraordinary gathering. All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office, and for me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary and I'm very grateful to all of them. But again thank you, Mr. President, for hosting.