From today's White House Press Briefing with Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto:

MR. FRATTO: Good morning, everyone. This is actually my last press briefing here, so this will be good fun. It's a week of lasts. This is my last.


I think just, before we start -- I know I speak for Gordon and Scott in recognizing obviously the great privilege that we have to come and do this job and to stand in front of a podium with the White House seal behind us, and the great sense of thanks and appreciation we have for Dana, in particular, as our leader in the press office -- we've learned a great deal about -- a great deal of how to do this job, how to practice this job from Dana, working with her every day -- and her incredible generosity in giving us the opportunity to do this. I think we all feel that way.

It is -- those of you who have spent many, many years in the White House Press Briefing Room know that you have not seen deputies stand up here with the regularity that Dana has afforded us. And we are very appreciative of that. It's been an incredible privilege, and always good fun to take all of your questions up here and to work at getting better at it, too.


I think you saw Josh Bolten this morning and Rahm Emanuel talking about the exercises and the transition efforts. You have their statements. And that exercise is ongoing, and they're still working through the war gaming and planning. It's part of the overall transition effort to make sure this transition is the best in history, as you heard the -- you've heard the President say a number of times.


You have his comments from the Cabinet meeting this morning also, and his meeting with President Calderón. And then, of course, later this afternoon, he'll award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prime Minister Howard, and President Uribe from Colombia. So we look forward to that also.