Will handing over the keys to the White House be George W. Bush's finest hour?

President Bush is hardly a fan of Barack Obama's policies. He warned during the recent meltdown on Wall Street that the way to help the American people was not to raise taxes on the wealthy as Obama has suggested but to extend his own tax cuts on the upper class. And the president is resisting efforts by congressional Democrats to enact a second stimulus package for folks on Main Street.

But Bush made clear to the White House staff last week that he wanted a smooth transition, no pranks. Maybe the president remembers what happened in 2001, when Clinton staffers angry that Al Gore was defeated left anti-Bush graffiti on White House equipment, fixing "Hail to the Thief" and "W Happens" notes to file cabinets in what the GAO later determined was $15,000 in damage.

With President-elect Obama going to the White House Monday to meet with Bush, no one is expecting the two will find much common ground on policy.

But both sides are talking nice. Bush said he is looking forward to their talks. And Obama, noting that the country can only have one president at a time, said "the critical tone, I think, that needs to be struck by all of us right now is the American people need help. It's in that spirit that I will have a conversation with the president."

Both sides are also signaling that despite vast political differences and huge challenges, they want a seamless transition. As White House press secretary Dana Perino said Friday, "Their posture and ours is one of genuine cooperation ... Both recognize the responsibility of keeping the country safe and helping pulls the economy out of its downturn."

If it is a good-faith transition, Bush might emerge more popular than his current ratings reflect.

To presidential scholars, none of this is a surprise.

"Good politicians are like pro wrestlers, bashing one another in public and then walking off arm in arm," Fred Greenstein, a political scientist now retired from Princeton, told the Wall Street Journal.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photos: George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Credits: Getty Images; Associated Press

Comments

[Ronaldo]

I'd say that George W. Bush handing over the keys to the White Houe is America's finest hour, and one that has been far too long in coming. It should have happened 4 years ago. We would all be better off, with the exception of the folks on Wall Street. Hallelua, hallelua, hallelua!

[J Smith]

The Clinton staffers did not vandalize anything. There were no Ws ripped off keyboards or graffiti or whatever. It's quite sad that the LA times and Andy Card and a bunch of republican die-hards are the only people that believe that situation actually happened. The rest of the world knew the story later that week.

Please, do some reporting and quit spreading 8 year old lies.

[tommy jonq]

if joe cool does anything at all that looks even remotely like some kind of success, any kind of success, then people will Believe. and then It will come true. reagan made palin look like thomas jefferson. but they Believed. and it was Morning in America.

http://politiqs.tommyjonq.com

[michael maahs]

The process of bringing in a new president is an interesting thing. This could be another interesting article if you spoke more on national security policy during transitioning from one president to the next.

[jacksmith]

You did it! You Did it!!

People, you were MAGNIFICENT! FANTASTIC! As I said before, I am Soooooooo PROUD! of you. And Sooooooo PROUD! to be one of you. My pride in all of you is OVERWHELMING! You took on the longest, toughest, most bruising campaign EPIC! in American history. Then you repeatedly stepped up to the plate to do your duty for each other, and for the greater good of the World. :-)

In spite of the extremely serious conditions confronting us, I can barely keep my feet on the ground from the euphoria I feel over how heroically you all stepped forward for each other, your country, and the greater good of the World. You are a great people.

Some of you repeatedly stood in voting lines for hours determined to cast your vote. Others seemed so determined to vote they looked like they were on a pick nick, ready to endure whatever it would take to cast their precious votes. It was a BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL! thing to see.

President Obama, and the First Lady Michelle Obama are highly intelligent people, and seem to have their values, and hearts in the right place. It's about the people, and their needs over money and material things in a time of great need. (Papulo Primo) - The People First.

President Obama has been very wise in seeking the advice, and counsel of many of our best experts. All of whom seem genuinely eager, and willing to help however they can. We are all very fortunate to have them.

And we are very fortunate to have continuously had the help, and support of the Worlds people, and their leadership in spite of the highly negative, and hostile relationship they have had to endure from the Bush Cheney administration.

Over the coming days, months, and years ahead we will have much to do. But I know that what ever the challenge is we can handle it, and count on each other. This is America again. And you have made that perfectly clear.

I am Sooooooo PROUD to know you.

God bless you all

jacksmith - WORKING CLASS :-)

[Daisy]

J. Smith:

How on earth would you know what happend in the White House? Were you there?

I love all of these liberals jumping on the bandwagon. You will not give Pres Bush a break. Liberals spouted off about "over the top patriotism" and yet so many of them have gone bonkers over Obama. That San Francisco video of the children signing about Obama and hope. CREEPY!!!! People act as if he can move mountains and will save the world. I have a friend who works down south and he was saying that some people are saying that they will no longer have to worry about their mortgage, electric bills, etc because Obama will take care of his own people. Many have been fooled.

"Handing over the keys to the White House" will not be the finest hour for Pres Bush. Have you forgotten 9-11? I love all of these armchair presidents who are under the assumption they could have done better.

[john]

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