US President-elect Barack Obama arrived in Washington on Sunday in order to prepare for taking office. The inauguration ceremony will be held on January 20.
Obama arrived from Chicago to the Andrews Air Force Base on the Boeing 757 airliner of the special presidential air group.
“I’ve got to tell you, I choked up a little bit leaving my house today,” Obama told reporters aboard a government 757 plane typically used by vice presidents and first ladies, the Associated Press reported. It was his first trip on a government aircraft since winning election Nov. 4, aides said.
Obama said pictures of his daughter, 10-year-old Malia, and her friends triggered the emotion. “Malia’s friend had dropped off an album of the two of them. They”ve been friends since preschool. I just looked through the pages, the house was empty. It was a little tough,” Obama said, according to AP.
Asked if he was looking forward to arriving in Washington, Obama smiled and said “yes.” But he added: “Although living in a hotel for two weeks? We did that for two years.” The president-elect is staying at the Hay-Adams Hotel across from the White House. His wife and two young daughters made the same trip from Chicago on Saturday, the report says.
The Obamas plan to take up residence at the Hay-Adams until the White House’s guest quarters at Blair House, across Pennsylvania Avenue, are available Jan. 15.
