Political Football

link to article 

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

WASHINGTON NEWS

Did Obama Spin Bush Meeting Details?

Yesterday’s news outlets emphasized the apparent good will between President Bush and President-elect Obama during their meeting. The White House described the discussions as “constructive, relaxed, and friendly.” Twenty-four hours later, however, things have changed.

AFP notes that yesterday’s New York Times “cited unnamed sources as saying the president may agree to new funding for troubled US automakers and a new economic stimulus package if Democrats pass a Colombia free trade pact which is stalled in Congress.” The CBS Evening News detected “signs of possible bad blood between the Bush and Obama camps.” Fox News’ Special Report reported, “What started out as a courtesy call has developed into a controversy. … White House aides were fuming over the Obama camp’s description of the private Oval Office meeting Monday.

Leaks to several reporters made for front page headlines characterizing…Obama as urging…Bush to help struggling automakers and…Bush replying that he might consider it if Democrats dropped their opposition to a Colombia free trade agreement the administration supports. Senior White House aides told Fox the leaks were ‘flat wrong’ and ‘disappointing,’ saying the private meeting should have remained private.”

Roll Call, in a story headlined “Obama Camp Looks To Avoid Bush Rift,” says “the White House today heatedly denied that the statement was made, and Bush administration officials are said to be unhappy that details of the conversation were leaked — seemingly by the Obama camp.” Yesterday’s Washington Post, in its print edition, “cited a senior Obama aide as the source, but by this afternoon the Web site version was quoting knowledgeable sources.”

CNN’s The Situation Room reported, “We are told by both sides, there was no explicit tit for tat. The Financial Times notes White House press secretary Dana Perino “acknowledged trade was discussed during the meeting…but denied that any ‘quid pro quo’ was offered.” ABC World News also said “Obama’s team spent some of the day in a dispute with the White House over details of yesterdays meeting.”

The Washington Times quotes John Podesta, “who is overseeing the Obama transition,” as saying that “while the topic of Colombia came up, there was no quid pro quo in the conversation. … The president did not try to link the issue of Colombia to an economic recovery package.” Podesta “called White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten on Tuesday to discuss a leak from within the Obama camp that gave details of a conversation between Mr. Obama and Mr. Bush.” The Detroit News also notes Podesta said the Columbia Free Trade Agreement “should be dealt with on its own merits.” The Financial Times and The Hill run similar reports.

Bush “Very Pleased” CNN’s The Situation Room yesterday aired CNN’s Heidi Collins’ “exclusive interview” with President Bush. Bush, describing his meeting with Obama, was shown saying, “To the extent he asked my advice, and he may want to ask it again, and the best way to make sure he feels comfortable asking it again is for me not to tell you in the first place what I advised him. We had a very private conversation. It was relaxed. It was interesting to watch a person who is getting ready to assume the office of the President. … He didn’t need my advice about supporting the military. He knows he must do that. We had a good conversation. I was very pleased.”

Obama Wants Detroit Reform Point Person According to The Politico, Obama “wants a high-profile point person to oversee reforms in the ailing auto industry, according to members of Obama’s transition team.” His transition team says Obama “suggested to…Bush…that aid to the auto industry could be coupled with the appointment of ’someone in charge of the auto issue who would have the authority’ to push for reforms. The details came from a more extended readout of the White House meeting provided Tuesday.” The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports Obama has “ordered his transition team to look at ways to aid the car industry even before his inauguration.”

Trackback This Post | Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed