Christina Bellantoni
Washington Times

News: POTUS-elect came back for about 3 minutes to say hi to press and meet new
travelers.

Also, Chief of Staff-elect Rahm Emanuel will be giving a readout of the rest of
the meeting on the plane ride back to Chicago.

Pool left NGA meeting around 10:45 or 11 am.

At 11:58 am motorcade departed for the airport, passing dozens of people
gathered on the streets to cheer.

Obama boarded plane at 12:11 pm.

At 12:15 he came back, saying hello to the regular press he knew and meeting
people on his plane for the first time.

He got some congratulations and then said the following.

"Kind of like old times but not really," he said.
"It doesn't have that breathless pace ... just one city a day!"

Asked about future cabinet selections he pantomimed a zipped lip.

As Emanuel came back, introducing himself as "Rahm," Obama laughed.

"My minder here is getting nervous," he said, snacking on a handful of nuts.

Christina Bellantoni
White House correspondent
The Washington Times

Pool report 2 - Obama greets children

Christina Bellantoni
Washington Times

News, none. Cuteness, 10.

At 9:57 am POTUS-elect emerged from hotel. Pool and non-pool were waiting on the
bus and some adorable kids from Friends Select, a Quaker school across the
street from the hotel, had gathered at the gates.

An agent stood near the kids, who after about 15 minutes of waiting, started
chanting "Obama! Obama!"

When he came out of the hotel Obama crossed the street wearing a big grin. He
shook hands and chatted with the kids for about a minute, smiling the whole
time.

The kids jumped up and down and cheered. He shook a few hands through the bars
of the gate.

As we pulled away to leave for the governors meeting, big crowds had gathered on
the street to cheer the motorcade.

Christina Bellantoni
White House correspondent
The Washington Times