So Much For Tradition

It's a veritable Leakapalooza for the President-Elect these days. After running a virtually leak-free campaign, the leaks are popping out all over during the transition:

Just hours after President Bush and President-elect Obama met in the Oval Office of the White House, details of their confidential conversation began leaking out to the press, igniting anger from the president, sources claim.

"Senator Obama would be wise to keep close counsel," a top Bush source warned.

"BUSH AND OBAMA AT ODDS OVER AID FOR AUTO INDUSTRY," splashed the NEW YORK TIMES in an exclusive Monday evening, quoting "people familiar with the discussion."

The two met at the White House in private, without staff.

"Bush indicated at the meeting that he might support some aid and a broader economic stimulus package if Obama and congressional Democrats dropped their opposition to a free-trade agreement with Colombia," claimed the TIMES.

The ASSOCIATED PRESS quickly followed with details of the conversation, citing "aides who described the discussion on grounds of anonymity, citing the private nature of the meeting."

Bush advisers view the leaks as an effort to undermine the president's remaining days in office.

"Senator Obama may not be familiar with a long-standing tradition of presidents holding their private conversations, private," a senior adviser explained to the DRUDGE REPORT.

By all accounts, President Bush is going out of his way to make the transition as smooth as possible and this is how the Obama team responds? By making a private meeting public? Smart. Classy.

With Obama being such a stern taskmaster and all, I fully expect the leakers to be "disappeared" by this time tomorrow. Unless, of course, this is a new Obama, one who has decided to adopt the Washington Way of Doing Things, in which case, leaks ahoy, matey!