Here is what President Obama found waiting for him in the Oval Office this morning.
It’s an envelope with a Post-It that says “44.” Inside is the traditional note from the outgoing president to the new one. (Of course, the Book of Secrets is hidden inside the desk, so Obama can learn the truth about Area 51 and the Kennedy assassination and the faked moon landing.)
After walking into the Oval Office, he spent 10 minutes alone. I wonder what he thought about. I picture him sitting at his desk, saying to himself, so it’s true — I really am the President of the United States, and this is my office, and then thinking about all that has transpired in that room.
I wonder if he said a prayer — or performed a cleansing ritual to rid the place of eight years of bad karma.
After those 10 minutes, his chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel, walked in.
Here’s the President at his desk — the Resolute desk that many presidents before him have used, including his two recent predecessors as well as JFK.
For now, Obama is keeping Bush’s oval office decor, except for the paintings of Texas. Laura Bush designed the rug and Obama apparently loves it. (So does Bill Clinton.) I hope he eventually has the room redesigned, so he can put his own stamp on it. Cleansing ritual or no, it’s going to be hard to get that Cheney smell out of everything.
As I recall- and it’s possible I may be recalling wrong- wasn’t Bush lauded for his Oval Office decor, and the sense of history that he had in selecting items that went into it? I seem to also recall that he reinstated a more formal dress code for the White House, and that move was widely applauded. Will have to google around on this one…
Ah, yes, here it is:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30665
Heheheh.
Bush did have a jacket-required policy for the Oval Office, although I don’t remember it being applauded or panned (personally, I’d find it easier to work without a suit jacket on).
More seriously, the Times noted in November that only the two Bushes have escaped decorating derision among recent presidencies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/garden/18whitehouse.html?pagewanted=all
He should keep the office as-is, a token recognition of our government’s dire fiscal state, and should re-decorate only the most necessary portions of the east wing from the family’s own pockets.
rob@egoz.org
Why the East Wing?
The Oval Office is symbolic. What better venue to show-boat the new Admin’s values, and priorities. I’d have no problems with them using public funds, with guiding thrift, to redesign the highly functional layout of offices and uses throughout the remainder of the west wing. Not doing so would likely impede how people in the admin work together best.
However, the east wing is more about the First Family’s functions and comforts. Given that every single existing tax-dollar in our nation’s coffers is already spent many times over for at least the next several years, it might be a good time to publicly display on how one gracefully gets by with-out, a sacrifice of comfort many Americans will likely soon share, naive or not.
I think you mean the Residence. The East Wing basically just has the First Lady’s office and the movie theater.
Of course Obama performed a cleansing ritual to dispel the Bush karma. He had a good wank (following the precedent Bill Clinton set on those rare occasions when no suitable intern was available).
[Yes, I know President Obama deserves more respect than that. But a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste.]
The east wing is the social sphere of the White House and First Family. Honestly, i knew what i meant.
HERE IS A NICE PIC OF GEORGE BUSH IN THE OVAL OFFICE……NOT WEARING A JACKET!
Ya gotta love it!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/05/bush-jacketless-in-oval-o_n_164513.html