WASHINGTON - MR BARACK Obama will make his first visit to the White House as president-elect on Monday for talks with President George W Bush on crisis issues including Iraq and the economy, officials said.
In the first confirmed appointment of the nascent Obama administration meanwhile, sharp-elbowed congressman Rahm Emanuel agreed to serve as White House chief of staff.
The president-elect announced that he would hold his first news conference since Tuesday's historic election win over Republican John McCain on Friday, after meeting his team of high-powered economic advisors.
Mr Bush said he had directed there to be 'unprecedented' cooperation between the White House and Mr Obama before the president-elect is inaugurated on Jan 20.
'In the coming weeks, we will ask administration officials to brief the Obama team on ongoing policy issues ranging from the financial markets to the war in Iraq,' Mr Bush said at the White House.
'I look forward to discussing those issues with the president-elect early next week.'
The outgoing two-term president also warned that terrorists may try to use the handover of power period to strike at the United States.
'We're in a struggle against violent extremists determined to attack us, and they would like nothing more than to exploit this period of change to harm the American people,' he said.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr Obama and wife, Michelle, would on Monday visit the White House, which will be their home after the inauguration on Jan 20.
'The Bushes will greet the Obamas, and then the president will visit with the president-elect in the Oval Office. Mrs Bush and Mrs Obama will meet in and tour the private residence,' Ms Perino said in a statement.
Mr Obama said in a statement that he looked forward to meeting Mr Bush, whom he lambasted on an almost hourly basis on the campaign trail.
'I thank him for reaching out in the spirit of bipartisanship that will be required to meet the many challenges we face as a nation,' Mr Obama said. -- AFP
