Bush Promises Smooth White House Transition

U.S. President George Bush and President-elect Barack Obama will meet at the White House on Monday. Mr. Bush says they will discuss the major issues facing the nation.

美国总统布什和当选总统奥巴马星期一将在白宫会面。布什总统表示，他们将讨论美国面临的重大问题。

Two days after the election, President Bush gathered his staff on the South Lawn of the White House and gave them instructions for the rest of his term in office.

在美国举行大选的两天之后，美国总统布什在白宫南草坪召集他的工作人员，向他们交待了他总统任期剩余时间的工作。

He said a smooth transition is his top priority.

他说，平稳过渡是他的首要任务。

"This seamless transfer of authority is one of the hallmarks of a true democracy," he said.

布什说：“平稳的权力移交是一个真正的民主国家的标志。”

But Mr. Bush also made clear that they have plenty of other work to do besides preparing for the handover to the Obama administration.

不过，布什还明确表示，除了准备向奥巴马进行权力移交之外，他们还有很多其它工作。

"We face economic challenges that will not pause to let a new president settle in," he said. "This will also be America's first wartime presidential transition in four decades. 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."

President Bush noted that key members of Senator Obama's team are already being briefed on critical issues and that an effort is underway to provide them with all of the information they need. He said that throughout the executive branch of government, Bush administration officials will be working with the replacements chosen by the president-elect.

美国总统布什指出，奥巴马参议员团队的主要成员已经听取了关键问题的简报，同时也在努力向他们提供所有他们所需的信息。他说，整个政府行政部门以及布什政府官员都将和当选总统挑选的接管人员合作。

"Taken together, these measures represent an unprecedented effort to ensure that the executive branch is prepared to fulfill its responsibilities at all times," President Bush said.

布什说：“所有这些措施加在一起，显示了一种前所未有的努力，以确保行政部门在任何时候都准备好履行职责。”

Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, are coming to the White House on Monday. President Bush will meet with the president-elect, while Mrs. Obama gets a look at the historic mansion that will become their new home on January 20.

奥巴马和妻子米歇尔将于星期一来到白宫。即将卸任的美国总统布什将会见这位当选总统，而奥巴马夫人则能够看一下白宫这座具有历史性的建筑，这里将从明年1月20日开始成为他们的新家。

Meanwhile, intelligence community officials have begun another presidential rite of passage. They have started to provide Mr. Obama with daily briefings on the global situation - the kind of briefings provided only to the president of the United States.

与此同时，美国情报官员已经开始了另一个新总统例行事务。情报部门已开始向奥巴马提供只提供给美国总统的全球局势每日简报。