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(AP) - With one last handshake to President Barack
Obama, George W. Bush boarded a helicopter on Tuesday at the
Capitol and began his post-presidential life, closing a two-term
administration marked by war, recession and the biggest terrorist
attack on U.S. soil.

      Vice President Joe Biden gave Bush a brief salute as the chopper
left the Capitol grounds and headed to Andrews Air Force Base,
flying over the throngs of supporters who came to Washington for
the historic inauguration of the 44th president.

A short time later, Bush and his wife, Laura,  boarded a plane at Andrews for their flight back to Texas after eight years in the White
House.


      The unpopular incumbent and Obama, who has ascended to rock-star
status even as he faces daunting and international challenges,
stood with their wives on the Capitol steps smiling and laughing.


If there were any hard feelings between the incoming Democrat and
outgoing Republican, they weren't apparent in the Bush send-off at
the base of the helicopter. The two men hugged and clasped hands
one final time, sealing the transfer of power.


      Bush actually began the first few minutes as an ex-president
listening to a musical prelude at the swearing-in ceremony. Obama
had not yet taken the oath of office, but while the musicians
played, he became president at 12 noon EST, according to the
Constitution.


      Some in the crowd, weary of Bush's eight years in office, booed
the president when the large viewing screens near the World War II
Memorial flashed an image of the exiting president arriving at the
swearing-in. 

Moments later, rounds of cheers welled up as the same
screens showed the incoming first lady, Michelle Obama, and her two
daughters, Sasha and Malia.


      Unfazed by his unpopularity, Bush smiled and waved throughout
the day's activities. He blew a kiss out the window of his
limousine as he left the White House with Obama.

      After the inauguration ceremony, some in the crowd waved at the
aircraft in the sky. Others, however, cheered when they heard a
television broadcaster announce, "George Bush is no longer
president of the United States." 

Still others in the crowd, broke
into chants of "Na-na-na-nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye."


      Earlier in the day, a cheerful Bush and his wife, Laura, hosted
Obama and his wife, Biden and his wife, Jill, and lawmakers for
coffee in the Blue Room of the White House.

      Keeping with a White House ritual, Bush left a note for Obama in
his desk in the Oval Office, wishing him well as he takes the reins
of power.

      "I won't provide any details, but the theme is similar to what
he's said since election night about the fabulous new chapter
President-elect Obama is about to start, and that he wishes him the
very best," outgoing White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

      She said the two-term Republican incumbent wrote the message to
his Democratic successor on Monday and left it in the top drawer of
his desk, which was crafted from timbers from the H.M.S. Resolute
and given to the U.S. by Great Britain in 1879.


      Bush was in the office before 7 a.m. EST. He spoke on the phone
with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser
Stephen Hadley, former White House chief of staff Andy Card and
T.D. Jakes, the pastor of a megachurch in Dallas who will preach at
a private church service that Obama is attending before the
Inauguration. Bush took one last stroll around the south grounds of
the White House.


      Perino said the president's mood was upbeat. "He's the
president of the United States, the way he always is. He hasn't
changed. He gave me a big kiss on the forehead," she said.

      After making private remarks in a hangar at Andrews, the Bushes
are flying to Midland, Texas, on the familiar blue-and-white
presidential aircraft, although it will be called Special Air
Mission 28000 instead of Air Force One since Bush no longer is
president.

      Thousands of well-wishers are expected to greet the Bushes at
Centennial Plaza in Midland - the same place he stopped on his way
to the nation's capital for his own inauguration in 2001. 

While
Bush was born in New Haven, Conn., he spent his childhood in
Midland. He returned there as an adult in the 1970s and met the
future first lady.

      After the Midland rally, the Bushes are flying to Waco, Texas,
on their way to their 1,600-acre ranch in nearby Crawford.

Gallery

Bushes greet Obamas at White House

Obama parades to White House after historic oath

Politics and Government News

With one last handshake to President Barack
Obama, George W. Bush boarded a helicopter on Tuesday at the
Capitol and began his post-presidential life.

Bush bids goodbye at Capitol, begins trip to Texas

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