Obama, Clinton take Oval Office talk outdoors

Associated Press

Apr 09, 2009 20:10 EST

WASHINGTON

It was such a gorgeous spring day Thursday in the nation's capital, with blue skies, plenty of sunshine and 60-degree temperatures, that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton decided to move an Oval Office chat outdoors.

Reporters being escorted up the White House driveway after an event on the South Lawn were surprised to see the president, in his shirt sleeves, and his top diplomat exit the Oval Office and head straight for his daughters' swing set, set up nearby.

Clinton was seen fingering a wooden picnic table that came with the set before they sat down across from each other.

There was disagreement over whether Obama waved to the group, or whether he had shooed it away.

In any event, reporters were escorted back down the driveway where they remained for several minutes before being taken on a different route to the White House.