THAT W'S A CLASS ACT ALL THE WAY:

Bush to Host Lunch for Obama, Previous Presidents (John D. McKinnon, 12/17/08, Wall Street Journal: Washington Wire)

President George W. Bush will hold a lunch for President-elect Barack Obama that also will be attended by the living former presidents – Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush – the White House said late Wednesday.

The event is unusual in the recent history of transitions. It was described by one White House aide as “unique – something the president wanted to do.”

Martha Joynt Kumar, a transition scholar, says it’s “unprecedented for the former presidents to come together with the president-elect during a transition. It is a very creative idea and should be an interesting meeting as the four former presidents — two Democrats and two Republicans — represent a variety of experiences and strengths.”