For most of the day, reporters calling the White House press office got only a busy signal.
The seamless transition of power, a hallmark of American democracy, proved slightly more chaotic in the worker bee trenches of the White House West Wing.
The press office, which at the end of the Bush administration had become as briskly efficient as the most hygienic dental office, on Wednesday morning had become a sort of panic room.
Reporters arrived at the White House unsure if there would be a morning briefing, or an afternoon briefing — or a schedule. The huge demand for news about the new president — his first full day — was met by a slight confusion on the White House side, as new administration staffers got their computers working, figured out voicemail, and got acclimated to the new office.
Several asked veteran White House reporters questions, including: Where is the press secretary’s office? Robert Gibbs, the holder of that title, unpacked office supplies and told a steady stream of visitors that he might brief on Thursday.
By afternoon, the press office was more or less up and running. The busy signal on the phone was gone, and anxious journalists began receiving statements, pool reports and background information by e-mail.
