Obama Meets With Bush as He Weighs Policy Reversals
By Holly Rosenkrantz and Kristin Jensen
Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- President-elect Barack Obama met with President George W. Bush at the White House as his aides consider ways to undo many of the policies put in place by the U.S. leader during the past eight years.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, arrived at the White House for a tour of their future home hosted by the president and first lady Laura Bush. Bush and Obama also had a private meeting in the Oval Office, a session that had the potential for awkward moments after Obama spent much of the past two years criticizing the Republican president while he campaigned.
White House press secretary Dana Perino described the meeting as ``constructive, relaxed and friendly.'' Obama's transition spokeswoman, Stephanie Cutter, said the two men had ``a broad discussion about the importance of working together throughout the transition of government in light of the nation's many critical economic and security challenges.''
No details of their talks were released.
The Oval Office meeting lasted a little less than an hour. Neither man made a public statement. The visit took place 71 days before the formal transfer of power. Bush has promised to make this the fastest and most cordial transfer of power in modern history.
The meeting with Bush marked Obama's visit first to the Oval Office, spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Obama also held a private meeting at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport before leaving town. Psaki refused to provide any details about who was in the meeting or the subject.
Historic Occasion
Hundreds of people were lined up along Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House as Obama's motorcade arrived.
``I wanted to see something historical in the works,'' said Pamela Sumah, a 24-year-old law student from Laurel, Maryland, who said she voted for Obama. ``If they can come together, it gives hope for our future.''
Obama will take office on Jan. 20 with majorities for his party in the House and Senate and a mandate to make changes. He's already considering ways to use executive orders to overturn policies put in place by Republican Bush, reviewing ``virtually every agency,'' according to John Podesta, a leader of Obama's transition effort.
``There's a lot that the president can do using his executive authority without waiting for congressional action,'' Podesta said on ``Fox News Sunday'' yesterday. As the team looks at agencies, it's considering moves on ``energy transformation, on improving health care, on stem-cell research,'' he said.
Policy Changes
Podesta, a former chief of staff in the Clinton White House, said some of Bush's policy moves are ``probably not in interest of the country.''
Susan F. Wood, co-chairman of Obama's advisory committee for women's health, said the president-elect also plans on reversing a policy that linked assistance for combating AIDS in the developing world to requirements that health workers emphasize monogamy and abstinence from sex over condom use.
On climate change and pollution, Obama previously has stated his opposition to the administration's action that blocked California from setting its own regulations for carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.
Podesta also met with White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and Deputy Chief of Staff Joel Kaplan. About 100 of Obama's transition people have obtained security clearances, Podesta said yesterday on CNN's ``Late Edition.''
The Obamas also are shopping for a school for their daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. They now attend the private University of Chicago Laboratory School. The couple hasn't indicated which schools they are looking at.
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