White House Says Obama Leaks Not Accurate
Bush spokeswoman denies Bush tried to cut a deal with Obama.
Nov. 11, 2008 — -- President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama were all smiles and handshakes outside the White House Monday, but the president's aides strongly denied today leaks suggesting that Bush had tried to cut a deal with Obama over a new stimulus plan.
Leaks about their confidential chat in the Oval Office also suggested that Obama had pressed a reluctant Bush to extend an immediate helping hand to the desperate auto industry.
The two men met for about an hour at the White House, and aides were excluded from the private sitdown.
Neither Bush nor Obama said anything publicly today about their meeting, although both made Veterans Day appearances.
Bush commemorated the day aboard the former aircraft carrier the USS Intrepid, now a museum docked in Manhattan.
Obama, accompanied by disabled Iraqi War veteran Tammy Duckworth, laid a wreath in front of a bronze war memorial at the John F. Kennedy War Memorial at Chicago's Soldier Field.
Bush has vowed to carry out a smooth transition with Obama, despite the fact that Obama pummeled Bush's leadership for most of his two-year campaign for the presidency.
Those policy differences apparently surfaced during their Monday meeting when they disagreed on Obama's hopes for a quick stimulus package and prompt help for the auto industry.
Reports leaking out of the meeting suggested that Bush indicated he would support Obama's hopes for another round of stimulus checks for U.S. taxpayers if Congress would also approve a long-stalled, free-trade pact with Colombia.
Leaks also said that Obama urged Bush to use part of the $700 billion in bailout funds to help the country's automobile makers immediately, to which Bush remained noncommital.
Obama's camp was mum today, but White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters before the ceremony aboard the USS Intrepid that the president did not try to cut a deal with Obama on his stimulus request.
"In no way did the president suggest a quid pro quo when it comes to the Colombian Free Trade agreement or other free trade agreements," she said. "He believes it can and should pass on its own merit.
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