President Bush lets emotions show while thanking White House staff

It was an emotional moment for President Bush, and his face showed the strain.

The election was two days in the past. He came out on the White House South Lawn under cloudy skies, the Washington autumn morning damp and dreary, to thank the White House staff for the work they have done.

"We believe that service to our fellow citizens is a noble calling -- and the privilege of a lifetime," he said.

He asked them to conduct themselves during the transition to the Barack Obama administration with "decency and professionalism."

Needing no mention: the reports of fraternity house shenanigans when the Bill Clinton staff turned their offices over to the incoming Bush brigades.

The president and Laura Bush will welcome Barack and Michelle Obama to the White House on Monday, and Bush said: "I hope you will join Laura and me in congratulating President-elect Obama, and wishing him the very best for his family and our country."

He said he recognized that with Jan. 20 approaching, "some of you may be anxious about finding a new job or a new place to live.

"I know how you feel," he said.

But, he added:

Earlier this year, I promised that I would sprint to the finish. I am keeping that promise. ... I will be honored to stand with you at the finish line.

The staff's applause triggered an apparent welling of emotions, and Bush did all he could do to keep them under control.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photos. Top, Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images; Ron Edmonds / Associated Press

Danger ahead at Barack Obama's White House?

Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House has become a jumble of construction equipment and fencing in anticipation of the assembly of a reviewing stand for the parade marking Barack Obama's inauguration as president on Jan. 20.

But this sign could signal not just the immediate danger at the construction site, but -- as President Bush could attest -- the turmoil, political brickbats and diplomatic contretemps that inevitably befall any chief executive residing here.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo credit: Ron Edmonds / Associated Press

The 'W' factor and other hijinks: White House assigns transition team to help next president

Remember all that chatter eight years ago when the letter "W" went missing from computer keyboards, and the other reports of transition shenanigans, when the Clintonistas turned over the White House to the Bushies?

By one government account, they did $15,000 in damage and left some quarters resembling a fraternity house as the sun came up.

With eight days to go until election day, President Bush's White House has reached out to representatives of John McCain and Barack Obama to begin working on the transition to a new administration.

If anyone is being assigned keyboard duty, they're keeping it quiet.

"We have a very aggressive and thought-out transition plan that we are already working through," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said today.

She added:

We have been in contact with both of the major party candidates, identified people who would get security clearances, so that on Nov. 5, they can hit the ground running and make sure that they get all the information that they need.

"We pledge to have the most professional and robust transition that we possibly can have for the safety of all of us," she said.

— James Gerstenzang

Photo: Ron Edmonds / Associated Press

Inaugural platform construction begins: the countdown to the end of the Bush administration

The inauguration of a new president is not until Jan. 20, 2009. For those who are counting, that's 119 days away.

But Congress isn't taking any chances.

So Wednesday, on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol, members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies plan to hold the traditional First Nail Ceremony.

No, the First Nail Ceremony is not a reference the nail polish that might be worn to match the lipstick of any number of the participants.

Rather, the First Nail Ceremony marks the start of construction on the inaugural platform where the 44th President of the United States will be sworn in. A similar ceremony was held to prep the platform for the 43rd POTUS in 2000, as evident above from the hammers of Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

During Wednesday's kickoff ceremony, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the committee, and the acting architect of the Capitol will, according to the press release, "hammer nails into a plank on the site of the platform that when completed will hold approximately 1,600 people," including members of the Senate and House, Cabinet members and nominees, Supreme Court justices, former presidents and the president- and vice president-elect and their families.

With that load of heavyweights, they might want to reinforce the wood with steel.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo credit: Stephen Jaffee / AFP