Bush, Obama's Thanksgiving plans

WASHINGTON — President Bush headed to Camp David, Md., for Thanksgiving, thankful for his almost-expired "privilege of serving as the president."

President-elect Obama stayed in Chicago to "have a whole bunch of people over to the house" and squeeze in some Christmas shopping.

On a holiday designed for reflection, one man, historically unpopular, went to a remote mountaintop with his family. The other, promising change, surrounded himself with dozens of people in a bustling city.

Dressed casually in a leather jacket and black scarf Wednesday, Obama handed out food at a Chicago church's food bank with wife Michelle and their two daughters, shaking hands and jovially telling people "you can call me Barack."

In addition to greetings from the new first family, those seeking food at St. Columbanus received boxes with potatoes, oranges, fresh bread, peanut butter, canned goods, oatmeal, spaghetti and coffee.

He followed that with a quick visit to a school next door, where he asked the excited children, "Who's going to have turkey?" "Who's going to have green beans?" "Who's going to have sweet-potato pie?"

In an interview broadcast Wednesday on ABC, the Obamas told Barbara Walters they were having 60 people, at least, to their Chicago home for the holiday.

Michelle Obama said she's not cooking, explaining that she gets "an out" because her husband ran for president.

For Bush, his final Thanksgiving in office is proving a time for nostalgia. He always reflects a bit at Thanksgiving, but he went further as he spared the Thanksgiving turkey, named Pumpkin, on Wednesday.

He gave thanks to troops and volunteers, to teachers and pastors, to all the American people. Then he gave thanks for his wife and twin daughters — "two Thanksgiving miracles who we were blessed with 27 years ago" — and that his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, was doing well after being hospitalized.

"Most of all," he said, "I thank the American people for the tremendous privilege of serving as the president."

But the occasion was also a chance for levity. A backup bird, named Pecan through an online vote, was nowhere to be seen. Undisclosed location, Bush joked.

In 2003, months after the Iraq war began, Bush surprised soldiers serving in Baghdad by showing up unannounced in their mess hall for the holiday meal.

This Thanksgiving, Obama used the opportunity for a relatively rare public event with his wife and children, Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10 — and a chance for a little lesson for the kids.

"I want them to learn the importance of how fortunate they are and to make sure they're giving back," he said of bringing the girls to the church.

And what's he thankful for?

"I just want you to know what I'm thankful for is my family and my friends and my community," he told the schoolchildren. "That's the most important thing."