Obama to White House for first post-election visit

Source: Agencies  |   2008-11-10  |     ONLINE EDITION

LESS than one week after his historic victory, US President-elect Barack Obama heads to Washington yesterday to learn firsthand from President George W. Bush about the challenges that await him on Jan. 20.

Obama, 47, who swept to office after two years of campaigning on a theme of change -- particularly from Bush's economic and foreign policies -- will put politics aside as he visits the White House.

Accompanied by his wife Michelle, Obama will visit for about 90 minutes. The Obamas will look around the house that will become their home, and Bush and the president-elect will then sit down to discuss issues including the transition of power, the ailing US economy and the war in Iraq.

Bush, whose sagging popularity helped propel Obama and the Democrats to a resounding victory in last week's presidential election, has said he will do all he can to help Obama in his transition.

"Ensuring that this transition is seamless is a top priority for the rest of my time in office," Bush said on Saturday in his weekly radio address.

"In the coming weeks, we will ask administration officials to brief the Obama team on major ongoing policy issues, ranging from the financial markets to the war in Iraq."

Bush has said he would keep Obama informed on important decisions he makes over the next two months, particularly on issues related to the struggling economy and the war in Iraq.

While Obama has made it clear that he is aware that Bush is still the president until Jan. 20, he is working on quickly forming a government and preparing policies so he can "hit the ground running" when he takes office.

TOURING THE WHITE HOUSE

Bush has hailed the victory by Obama -- the son of a black Kenyan father and white American mother -- as a "dream fulfilled" for civil rights.