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No 'parallel' administration, White House says

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor January 2, 2009 12:03 PM

After repeating the mantra of only one president at a time, President-elect Barack Obama arrives in Washington on Monday -- 15 days until he is sworn in -- and immediately dives into meetings on his proposal to jump-start the economy.

But a White House spokesman today rejected the idea of a "parallel administration."

"Well, as this last week has shown, we're still pretty busy around here," deputy press secretary Gordon Johndroe told reporters in the regular White House briefing. "President Bush uniquely understands the role and the job that President-elect Obama is about to take in, I think, 18 days and understands that he needs to put a team together and work on -- you know, for the future of the United States."

Asked about the Gaza crisis in particular, Johndroe replied that there is full and regular communication between the outgoing and incoming administrations.

"The president-elect receives the same intelligence briefings that President Bush received, so he is familiar with the intelligence and what we know about what's taking place there in Israel and Gaza," Johndroe said. "But we're staying in close contact. I can't speak to any other staff discussions, but we're providing them the information that -- that they are seeking."

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Please, just let Obama take over now. Fifteen days is an eternity for the present administration. Not telling what misery they'll create in that time.

Posted by dennis January 2, 09 12:56 PM
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Wait, there's someone in the White House now? I'd forgotten...

Posted by George who...? January 2, 09 12:59 PM
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Obama should use his political capital to call for a cease fire and a UN peace-keeping force around Gaza. If the Israeli govt refuses, he should up the ante and cut our foreign aid ($3 billion A YEAR) to them. The Israeli govt has acted with complete impunity because the U.S. govt gives them the green light to do whatever they want. This madness must stop! 9/11 was a direct result of this policy. Americans will keep on suffering as long as the Palestinians go without their own State and Israel continues to build settlements on Arab land. When they stop building settlements and Palestine is accepted as a sovereign State, the violence will end.

Posted by L Venire January 2, 09 01:00 PM
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It is important for Obama to be briefed.

Posted by Frank Azzalina January 2, 09 01:00 PM
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To bad we can not just change administrations today. Before Bush can do any more damage .

Posted by D. Watson January 2, 09 01:03 PM
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I like the idea of pushing Bush out at 12:01........he cant leave soon enough-
wasnt it letterman who said "can't he start NOW?";

Posted by tom a January 2, 09 01:12 PM
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We know what President Bush did in his eight years as commander in chief.Like any world leader there's always positives and there are also negatives but at the end of the day it is the results and fruits we will reap of that leaders vision that really counts.We don't know anything President elect Obama is have in mind until he takes office so lets be patient and say a prayer.Is he up to the job we'll find out but the way things are stacking up right now with these crazy bailouts and new crisis in the middle east the sea is very rough.

Posted by skmj January 2, 09 03:08 PM
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Ack. No cease fire against Gaza until they stop firing rockets at Israel. We must stand by Israel against the Palestinian thugs. Palestine itself has made peace impossible as they have never honored any ceasefire.
Yes, Bush has been bad, but let's not make things worse.

Posted by Travis January 2, 09 03:29 PM
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