Despite Differences, Obama Hosts Bush at White House - Political Hotsheet
At least for today, President Obama put aside his frequent talk of the economic “mess” and “trillion dollar deficit” he inherited, in order to cordially welcome the man he blames for it.
At a ceremony this afternoon in the East Room, President and Mrs. Obama unveil the portrait of 43rd President George W. Bush, which will become part of the permanent White House collection. A portrait of former First Lady Laura Bush will also be unveiled.
President Obama “looks forward” to the occasion, says his spokesman Jay Carney. It’s a tradition that sitting U.S. presidents host portrait unveilings for their immediate predecessors.
President Bush did the same thing eight years ago nearly to the day when he welcomed former President Bill and Hillary Clinton to the White House.
It’s often an exercise in political restraint especially when the current president publicly laments about the problems he attributes to the previous occupant of the Oval Office.