They think it's your Oval ... it is now!

Getting down to business ... Obama with Rahm Emanuel

For your eyes only ... note from Bush to Obama, President No44

Obama...In oval office

BARACK Obama laid down the law on his first day in the Oval Office yesterday.
The new President snatched just a few hours sleep after his euphoric inauguration celebrations — then faced up to a daunting array of problems.
He had promised “swift action”. And in a series of meetings with advisers and generals, he began to tackle America’s crippled economy, the Iraq war, Guantanamo Bay and the Middle East crisis. He also:
SUSPENDED all orders issued to federal departments and agencies by his predecessor George Bush, pending review.
FROZE the pay of presidential staff earning more than £75,000, and BANNED them from accepting gifts from lobbyists.

The moves were aimed at making his administration more “transparent”. And Obama declared: “Families are tightening their belts — and so should Washington.”
The President began his first working day at a prayer service in Washington’s National Cathedral.
He sat with First Lady Michelle, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Hillary was later rubber-stamped as US Secretary of State by the Senate despite Republican questions over potential conflicts of interest created by foreign payments to her husband’s foundation.

Once in the Oval Office, Obama had a brief moment of solitude in which he read a note left on his desk by Mr Bush.
It was addressed “to No44 from No43” — a reference to the pair being the 43rd and 44th Presidents. But its contents were not revealed.

Then it was straight into a summit with advisers, including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, to discuss plans to revive the US economy with a £600billion injection.
Turning to Iraq, Obama was due to meet Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and General David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command.
Joining the discussion via tele-conference from Iraq were America’s ambassador to the strife-torn nation, Ryan Crocker, and General Ray Odierno, the top ranking US soldier in the battlezone.
Obama was expected to command the team to draw up plans to pull all US combat troops out of Iraq within 16 months.
On the Middle East, Obama called leaders including Jordan’s King Abdullah, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The President also ordered a suspension of trials at Guantanamo Bay while a four-month probe is carried out into the whole purpose of the detention camp in Cuba. The move even halted the case of 11 men charged in connection with the 9/11 atrocities.

It was applauded by human rights activists. But guards at the camp — holding 250 terror suspects — were unimpressed.
Though elated at Obama’s inauguration, black officer Patrick Thomas, 43, disagreed with the President’s intention to close it down.
He said: “If you let these detainees go from here they will pop up somewhere else.”
Late yesterday Obama was due to host an “Open White House” for friends and relatives. Meanwhile his staff were rushing to set up offices and computers. Press secretary Robert Gibbs said: “I just have to figure out how to log in.”
AN explosion of Obama-related goodies has appeared on web auction site eBay, including a “My Mama is for Obama” babygrow