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President Obama faces wavering support on health care reform, key White House aides told CNN.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama, facing wavering support on health care reform, is considering a range of options to recapture momentum on his signature domestic initiative, key White House aides told CNN Wednesday.

"The president is considering all of his options on how to advance the debate and get reform passed. This includes possibly laying out a more
specific vision," said one administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Among other things, Obama is contemplating giving a major speech detailing specifics on what he would like to see included in a health care
reform bill, added senior adviser David Axelrod.

It's unclear what form a possible speech by the president would take. If he decides to give an address, he could do it from the Oval Office or before a joint session of Congress.

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President Barack Obama is considering giving a major speech detailing specifics on a health-care reform bill.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Barack Obama is considering giving a major speech detailing specifics on what he would like to see included in a health-care reform bill, a senior White House aide said Wednesday.

Senior advisor David Axelrod told CNN, the president is looking at the possibility of a speech as "one of his options" in pushing forward his health care agenda after he returns from vacation at Camp David next week.

Obama has outlined broad principles for what he would like in health-care reform, but he has left most details to leaders in Congress. Now, White House aides say, the dynamic has changed.

"We're entering a new season," Axelrod said. "It's time to synthesize and harmonize these strands and get this done."

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WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Richard Nixon believed one way to shore up the GOP in 1973 was by recruiting "attractive" women, but not because he was "for women," according to audio tapes released Tuesday.

In February of 1973, President Nixon called future president and then-Republican National Committee chairman George H.W. Bush, and recounted a recent visit to the South Carolina state legislature.

"I noticed a couple of very attractive women, both of them Republicans, in the legislature," Nixon told Bush. "I want you to be sure to emphasize to our people, God, let's look for some... Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not... So have you got that in mind?"

Bush replies, "I'll certainly keep it in mind."

The tape was among the approximately 154 hours of White House tape recordings and approximately 30,000 pages of documents released Tuesday by the Nixon Presidential Library, which is run by the National Archives.

Gregg confirmed Friday he was under consideration to be the next Commerce Secretary.

WASHINGTON (CNN) –Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire is the leading candidate to become commerce secretary and a decision could come as soon as Monday, an Obama administration official told CNN Saturday.

Gregg said in a statement Friday that he was among those being considered for the post, but White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Friday that "a final decision had not been made."

"I know that's something that he [President Obama] hopes to make a decision on and announce shortly. But until the President tells me to make a personnel announcement from this podium, I'll refrain from getting into individual names on that," Gibbs said at Friday's press briefing.

The administration official Saturday spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss administration deliberations.

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PHILADELPHIA (CNN) - Twelve days before he leaves office, President Bush delivered his final policy speech, choosing to focus on his signature education reform law known as "No Child Left Behind."

But as he spoke, television networks – including CNN – carried another address happening simultaneously: President-elect Barack Obama's speech on the ailing US economy.

"At the end of the presidency, you get to do a lot of 'lasts,'” Mr. Bush noted in his remarks at a school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"This is my last policy speech. As President of the United States, this is the last policy address I will give," Bush said.

"What makes it interesting is that it's the same subject of my first policy address as President of the United States, which is education and education reform."

The Obamas had been hoping for an early Blair House check-in.

CHICAGO (CNN) – President-elect Barack Obama will not be moving his family across the street from the White House early, despite his request to do so. Blair House, which incoming presidents traditionally occupy 5 days before inauguration day on January 15, is apparently booked in the early part of January.

An Obama transition spokesperson says the family initially "explored the idea" of moving into Blair House early so that daughters Sasha and Malia could start school on schedule. But the family was told there were previously-scheduled events and guests that could not be displaced.

"The Blair House, the President's guest house for visiting dignitaries, is available to President-elect Obama and his family starting January 15, as is historically the case," said Sally McDonough, spokeswoman for First Lady Laura Bush.

"As for any conversation, I don't comment on specific conversations about transition details."

The Obama transition spokesperson emphasized the White House has been "extremely accommodating" to the Obama family, adding that the entire process has been "smooth and friendly."

Obama met with Bush at the White House last month.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President-Elect Barack Obama offered praise for at least one aspect of President Bush’s foreign policy Monday, during videotaped remarks to the Saddleback Civil Forum on Global Health hosted by Pastor Rick Warren.

“I salute President Bush for his leadership in crafting a plan for AIDS relief in Africa and backing it up with funding dedicated to saving lives and preventing the spread of the disease,” Obama said. “...My administration will continue this critical work to address the crisis around the world.”

The taped message was part of a forum marking the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day.

Under the Bush administration, more than two million people suffering from HIV/AIDS – most living in Africa - have received life-saving antiretroviral treatment as part of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief. In July, the President signed legislation reauthorizing the program and authorizing up to $48 billion to expand it.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) - Soon-to-be first lady Michelle Obama will visit the White House Tuesday afternoon with her daughters, Malia and Sasha, according to First Lady Laura Bush's press secretary, Sally McDonough.

McDonough said Mrs. Bush had invited Mrs. Obama to visit the White House again when her daughters were available.

(CNN) - President Bush called Sen. McCain at 11:38 p.m. Below are quotes from that conversation, according to White House spokeswoman Dana Perino:

"John, you gave it your all. I'm proud of you, and I'm sorry it didn't work out. You didn't leave anything on the playing field.

"Your statement was fabulous and very classy. Please give our love to Cindy."

Perino says calls to both candidates were made from the President's office, the Treaty Room, in the Residence. President Bush will make a statement Monday morning in the Rose Garden, according to Perino.

Vice President Dick Cheney called Joe Biden from Gettysburg, South Dakota to offer his congratulations, according to Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne Foster.

(CNN) – White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says President Bush called Sen. Barack Obama at 11:12 p.m. to congratulate him on his victory, and that the President extended an invitation for the President-elect and his family to visit the White House soon, at their convenience.

Watch: Crowd goes wild for Obama in Chicago

Perino provided these quotes by President Bush from his conversation with Sen. Obama:

"Mr. President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride."

"I promise to make this a smooth transition. You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself."

Perino said the President also plans to talk to Sen. John McCain after McCain's speech.

President Bush will discuss the economy Friday morning in the White House Rose Garden.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Bush has tried to strike an awkward balance between reassurance and reality about the nation's financial crisis. On Friday, he will do so again, but the repetition raises the question: to what effect?

Since September 15, the day financial giant Lehman Brothers failed, the president has commented on the nation's financial health 26 times, either through written, radio or on-camera statements.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino says the president will let Americans know they "should be confident that every effort is being taken to stabilize our financial system."

Watch: Rescue plan will ' take a while,' Pres. Bush says

Perino announced the news after Thursday's astonishing 679-point drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, saying Bush would make his remarks "following the market's continued volatility this afternoon."

Perino also said Bush's speech at the White House Rose Garden is not expected to announce any policy decisions. In the past, Bush's statements have mostly been brief, as in Thursday's comments at the White House during a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.

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Bush will deliver his speech Monday at the RNC in St. Paul.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Bush's final GOP convention speech as head of the Republican party will express "gratitude" to his supporters rather than attack Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Friday.

The president is due to deliver his speech Monday at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Perino said it will review "the major issues facing the country, from terrorism and war to the economy and the direction of our culture."

Perino added that in making the case for GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's qualifications, the speech will reflect "on the role of the presidency and the qualities that are demanded by the job" of commander-in-chief.

"In particular, it highlights McCain's unique judgment, perspective and experience to deal with the unexpected, to stand firm on his convictions, put the country above himself and make hard decisions necessary to protect the American people," Perino said.

Despite less than five months left in President Bush's term, Perino said not to expect the speech to define his legacy.

"This is not an opportunity to recap accomplishments of the past seven and a half years," she said. "It will not serve as a farewell to the American people, and it certainly will not attack Barack Obama."

Asked why, Perino replied, "Because he's got class."

She added, "This president knows better than almost any politician in America what it's like to face criticism. He watched his dad as vice presidential candidate for two terms go through that, and then when his dad ran for president, he saw it again, and then in his own campaigns, the two national
elections. He knows what it's like in high political season, and he's not going to respond to every attack."

President Bush called Gov. Palin Friday to congratulate her.

(CNN) - The White House is "energized" over John McCain's pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the No.2 spot on the Republican presidential ticket, White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters Friday.

Perino also said President Bush phoned Palin earlier Friday morning to congratulate the Alaska Republican for being selected for the position.

President Bush believes the McCain-Palin ticket is "very strong," and he looks forward to a "great victory in November," Perino also said.

President Bush celebrated his birthday on Air Force One with first lady Laura Bush and White House staff members.

HOKKAIDO, Japan (CNN) – It was a birthday celebration in the skies, as President Bush turned 62 aboard Air Force One while en route to Japan where Bush is attending the summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.

First Lady Laura Bush and White House staff members gathered in the conference room on Air Force One late Saturday night eastern time, where a steward dimmed the lights as the crowd waited for the birthday celebrant to arrive, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said.

On the table was a "large" coconut cake with a single burning candle and the words "Happy Birthday President Bush" on it.

The crowd called out "surprise" as President Bush walked into the room and then sang Happy Birthday, Perino said.

Bush "dutifully pretended to be surprised" and blew out the candle, Perino said. It was not known whether he made a birthday wish.

After cutting and serving the cake, the health-conscious president ate a "small" piece of birthday cake, she said.

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President Bush holds a press conference before leaving for Europe last month.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Bush heads to Japan for his final G-8 summit of world leaders on Saturday, as the global economy slumps, energy prices soar and food shortages loom in the developing world.

Bush says he will press other leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations to follow through on their commitments from earlier summits, but has warned there is nothing he or anyone else can do in the short term about oil prices.

"It took us awhile to get into the energy situation we're in and it's going to take us awhile to get out of it," he said Wednesday in an appearance at the Rose Garden to preview his trip.

He continued to advocate more drilling in currently protected areas of the U.S. as a medium-term fix for skyrocketing fuel costs.

"Ultimately, of course, we're going to transition away from hydrocarbon. But we're now just in a transitional period and we need more oil to be able to do so," he said.

Bush's main economic goal at the summit may be defensive, said David Gergen, former adviser to presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.

"What's essential in this summit for George W. Bush is to make sure the world economy does not spin downward," he said.

Yet Bush is not raising expectations about what he and the other G-8 leaders can realistically accomplish on the economic front. "One thing we need to make clear when I'm with our partners is that we're not going to become protectionists; that we believe in free trade and open markets," he said Wednesday.

A former administration official who served on the National Security Council under Bush says the G-8's purpose is not to come up with quick solutions.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) - The White House has congratulated Sen. Barack Obama on clinching the Democratic nomination for president, spokeswoman Dana Perino said Wednesday.

His victory - which sets him up to become the first African-American to lead a major party ticket in the race for the White House - shows how far America has come, Perino said.

She said President Bush, a Republican, did not plan to call Obama to congratulate him personally.

President George Bush and first lady Laura Bush pose with daughters Jenna and Barbara. (White House Photo)

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Against the backdrop of a stunning Texas sunset, near a lake on the Bush family's 1,600-acre ranch, President Bush walked his daughter, Jenna, down the aisle to her groom, the White House said.

Jenna, 26, married Henry Hager, the son of a well-connected Virginia Republican.

"The wedding was spectacular. It was all we could have hoped for," the president said Sunday before boarding Air Force One.

"We're mighty blessed."

Wearing a white silk organza Oscar de la Renta gown, the bride stood with the groom before a beige-colored cross and altar made of Texas limestone.

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First daughter Jenna Bush marries her longtime boyfriend Henry Hager Saturday night.

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) - First daughter Jenna Bush and Henry Hager - the son of a well-connected Virginia Republican - say "I do" Saturday on President Bush's 1,600-acre ranch in Crawford, Texas.

"I had to face some very difficult spending decisions and I've had to conduct sensitive diplomacy. That's called planning for a wedding," Bush told the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on March 12.

The plans are largely under wraps, but they call for gathering by a lake in front of an altar and four-foot high cross made from Texas limestone.

"This is the time when the wildflowers are all blooming. And I think it will be a very, very lovely wedding, and it will be very like Jenna and Henry," first lady Laura Bush recently said.

Jenna Bush told CNN's Larry King on April 24 that the wedding will include "all relatives, our families, really, kind of big. So it's half-family and then half-very close friends." More wedding details »

Not all of her friends will be on hand though.

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Watch Laura Bush's press conference Monday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – First Lady Laura Bush has spoken out before on Myanmar – mostly through written statements – but Monday's on-camera mini-news conference in the White House briefing room was a first. In the wake of Saturday's deadly cyclone in Myanmar - also known as Burma - Mrs. Bush did not mince words decrying the ruling military junta for its failure to adequately warn residents of the impending danger.

"The response to the cyclone is just the most recent example of the junta's failure to meet its people's basic needs," Mrs. Bush said.

Aides to the First Lady say today's briefing room appearance was originally planned for Tuesday.

That's when President Bush is expected to sign legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel-Prize winning democracy activist currently under house arrest in Myanmar.

Officials say Mrs. Bush decided to push up her appearance, in light of the deadly cyclone over the weekend.

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Rove left the White House in 2007.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A House committee Thursday asked former White House political adviser Karl Rove to testify about allegations that Bush administration officials pushed for federal prosecutions of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and other Democrats.

House Judiciary Committee leaders said it is "imperative" that Rove answer allegations that he pressed the Justice Department to investigate Siegelman, a Democrat who when indicted was preparing a rematch against Alabama's Republican governor in 2006.

"We look forward to scheduling an early date for your voluntary appearance," the committee's Democratic leaders wrote in a letter released Thursday.

Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, said Thursday that President Bush's onetime political mastermind "absolutely denies he was in any way involved in the decision to prosecute Don Siegelman." Luskin said he has had no direct communication the the Judiciary Committee's staff or its chairman, Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, and said the White House would have to decide whether Rove will be able to testify.

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