Obama, Clinton take Oval Office talk outdoors

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.

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ZUMA Press

US President Barack Obama walks by a swing set on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving there by Marine One helicopter, in Washington, DC, USA, 06 March 2009. President Obama returns from a day-trip to Columbus, Ohio, to participate in the graduation of police recruits that were hired with the help of federal stimulus funds. The national unemployment rate rose to 8.1 per cent in February 2009, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics - the highest rate since 1984

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.