21 Jan 2009

Bush leaves White House for last time

7:54 am on 21 January 2009

Former President George Bush has left the White House for the last time after eight years in office.

He hosted Barack Obama for a private coffee before they shared an armoured limousine en route to the inauguration on Tuesday.

Afterwards, Mr Bush left the Capitol grounds in a military helicopter en route home to Texas.

He followed the custom of leaving a note for the incoming president in the top drawer of the Resolute Desk - made from the timbers of a British ship of the same name - in the Oval office.

In his last hours before leaving office, Mr Bush spoke by telephone with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser Stephen Hadley and former White House chief of staff Andy Card.