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Obama, Bush a lot alike

Low-key men have much in common

By Christina Bellantoni (Contact) and Jon Ward (Contact) | Tuesday, November 11, 2008

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Barack Obama paid his first visit as president-elect to the White House on Monday to meet with President Bush, and despite being political polar opposites, the two men have a lot in common — from their habits to their dark suits and blue ties.

As the two most recent inductees into the exclusive commander-in-chief club, the two men — both sports fanatics, famously disciplined and physically fit — will have to embrace their similarities and become friendly, if not friends, to make this transition as smooth as possible.

The men wore wide smiles and seemed to be getting along Monday — the president held the Oval Office door open for his successor, who at least once put his hand on Mr. Bush's back. They also sported similar pins on their left lapels. And Mr. Obama stayed at least 30 minutes longer than his transition team had scheduled as his top aides greeted White House staffers.

• Click here to view a photo gallery of Obama's first visit to the White House.

"It's no doubt that George Bush and Barack Obama discovered in each other that they are authentic, likable and want what's best for the country," said Lanny Davis, a former special counsel to President Clinton who attended Yale University with Mr. Bush. Mr. Davis' columns appear in The Washington Times.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the meeting was relaxed and friendly despite the partisan jabs that Mr. Obama took at the president on the campaign trail and vastly different ideologies. She noted that Mr. Obama and Mr. Bush "are now going to be in a very small club."

They are men who are sticklers for routine.

Mr. Bush, famously in bed by 10 p.m., is always on time and keeps to his habits.

Mr. Obama as president-elect has strayed little from his regular traditions, hitting the gym each day.

He gets his hair cut at the Hyde Park Hair Salon & Barber Shop in Chicago, and snacks on energy bars, nuts and a single flavor of Honest Tea. Photos of him on the weekends are eerily similar: black baseball cap, sunglasses, track pants and a T-shirt. When he hits the gym — sometimes more than once a day — he has a newspaper tucked under his arm and earbuds in his ear.