Bill Clinton Takes Over Briefing Room. Pres. Obama: ‘I’m going to take off…You’re in good hands’

Pres. Barack Obama met at the White House today with former President Bill Clinton — the first time since the midterm elections — on how to respond to the big Democratic losses and Obama’s deal with the GOP to extend the Bush era tax cuts.

The White House press corps was “summoned at a moment’s notice” to the briefing room for the news conference. And not long after the two presidents appeared together at 4:23pmET, it became AAB — all about Bill (or Bubba, take your pick).

All the cable news and business channels carried some, or all, of the news conference. About 10 minutes in, with Pres. Clinton in command at the podium, Pres. Obama excused himself. Obama: “I’ve been keeping the first lady waiting for about half an hour, I’m going to take off. I don’t want to make her mad. You’re in good hands and [Press Secy. Robert] Gibbs will call last question.”

And that didn’t come for another 20 minutes. MSNBC and CNN were still carrying the Q&A between the Press Corps and the former president, who officially left the White House 10 years ago next month. Fox News’ Neil Cavuto, who happened to be broadcasting from Washington, DC today, did not stay with the Clinton newser, but rather did his own Q&A with Clinton’s former chief of staff Mack McLarty.

Among those getting in questions for the former president ABC’s Jake Tapper, CBS’ Mark Knoller and NBC’s Mike Viquiera.

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