Obama: Former Presidents Meeting "Extraordinary" (VIDEO)(SLIDESHOW)

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WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama hailed a rare Oval Office gathering of all U.S. presidents as extraordinary on Wednesday, while President George W. Bush wished him well and pledged 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 off for a private lunch.

"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."

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Bush and Obama also met privately for roughly 30 minutes.

WATCH:

And if you think that decorating and the Presidency don't go together, then watch this clip of Bill Clinton telling Bush, "I love this rug." Either Clinton really does "love" that rug or he was trying to find something... anything... to say to Bush.

WATCH:

See a slideshow from today's meeting:

• • • • • 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.

Comments

[dems08]

Does pappy bush know where he is?

[barackobama4prez]

Obama is the best looking of the bunch!

[PippiLongstocking]

The best looking ever.

[cinemabon]

The set up: "I love this rug..."

The comeback line: "I didn't know you wore a toupee."

"We couldn't get the stains out of the other one."

"I installed a trap door underneath, in case they stormed the White House."

[Effymens]

Why dont you idiots leave President Clinton alone. Please get a life.

[hellie]

Poor Jimmy looks like a fifth wheel...

[Boadicea]

These meetings should not be "rare."

Any individual who has been elected to the presidency has a daunting job, but they also take away great benefits - in the form of income from speaking engagements, book deals, etc.

It seems to me that advising the sitting president in an almost ongoing way should be part of the payback to America for the benefits accrued from occupying the Oval Office.

In other words, make these lunches a weekly thing, even if they're cyber-lunches. Particularly in the upcoming years, we need all of our collective wisdom and experience to solve our daunting problems. Past presidents, in their diplomatic and charitable work (I expect Bush Jr to do a lot of work in Africa to fight AIDS) have circuitous access to people and information that sitting presidents might find useful. They've also had an opportunity to see how their policies played out long-term - what consequences resulted.

Let's not forget, if we had all listened to President Carter on the environment, the world might be a very different place today.

[truthseeker7]

Alot of people have died due to 4 of those 5. Especially nos. 1, 3 and 4 in the last photo. Yes I love america but why do we let our corporatocracy use our military and CIA to kill so many people?

[messy]

You forgot all the suffering caused by the guy on the far right. The damage he did caused the damage the rest did.

[Sean Ryan]

Your a truth seeker right? Well then you would know its not really the presidents behind all the crap going on, like 911 and so on, its the secret society behind them; Freemasons, Illuminati, skull and Bones society...

[DeborahMangan]

Speaking of the rug in the Oval Office.
In keeping with his economic concerns for this country, with so many loosing their jobs, homes, and lives turned upside down in this most difficult economic time.
I think it would be fitting if once again, President Elect Barack Obama would, rather than choose and spend the money on a new rug, pick out a previously owned rug.
Here are my thoughts.

That he go into the "storage room" if such a place exists, and perhaps "re-cycle" a rug that was previously used by a former President.
He could choose a rug used by a President that he admired, or just based on the design or style of the rug, he could choose.
What a great message that would be to send to the America People at this time of economic strife.
"Re-cycle", waste not want not, and while people are loosing their homes, show Americans he IS different and "one of them, by this very action of "re-cycling the Oval Office Rug from a previous time in history.
I think it would be a wonderful gesture, and he could share with the American people why he chose that particular rug.
Perhaps pick a rug from a time line when America was happier, more prosperous and full of hope.
Just a thought, but, a random act of thoughtfulness, thriftiness, and a symbol of leading by example.

[justnotcricket]

Yeah, good idea. And at the same time another similar gesture would be to hang the laundry out on the White House lawn:
http://right2dry.org/
http://blog.laundrylist.org/2008/11/can-you-find-white-house-clothesline.html

[ThirdSection]

I cannot wait to see the SNL sketch!

[MadJayhawk]

I wonder if whoever shook hands with Senior washed his hands after shaking hands with a hand that gripping a germ filled snot rag. Hope so.

Bill was having a pleasant Monica flash back when he made the rug comment.

[dreadylocks]

the rug did seem to be a convenient color.

[Kaccey]

Bill had never seen the rug before it was designed by Laura Bush. It was put there when the Bush's first moved in.

[lighthorseharry]

The editorial policy of the Huffington Post on management of posts by readers is very much like China.

[dreadylocks]

I have run into that problem myself.

[ppitstop]

I too see the pain in Obama's face at certain moments while standing between those Bushes.

[whatevahs]

I LOOOVE the little awkward moment between Clinton and Carter at about :10 and :11!

[princessofnowt]

Clinton saying "I love this rug".... I bet he does lol

(I'm just gonna leave off the rest of that...)

[kamau006]

Looking at the presidents together makes me want to yell... Domino!