Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush hosted a White House luncheon today that brought together President-elect Barack Obama and three former Oval Office occupants.

Obama, who will take office Jan. 20, and Bush were joined by former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton for a meal and conversation that lasted 90 minutes.

“We want you to succeed,” Bush told Obama as the group gathered for pictures in the Oval Office. “We care deeply about this country. And to the extent we can, we look forward to sharing our experiences with you.”

Obama thanked the president for playing host and the former presidents for sharing their knowledge.

“All the gentlemen here understand the pressures and possibilities of this office,” Obama said. “For me to have the opportunity to get the advice, good counsel and fellowship of these individuals is extraordinary and I’m very grateful.”

It was the first time all of the living presidents have gathered at the White House since Oct. 8, 1981, according to Dana Perino, Bush’s press secretary. Their ages ranged from Obama, 47, to Carter, 84, with a combined total of 24 years of presidential experience.

The luncheon was suggested by Obama and Bush readily agreed, Perino said. The president “thought it was a great idea to get everybody together,” she said.

Future Contacts

“They had a wide-ranging discussion on many different issues facing the United States, and they all look forward to remaining in contact in the future,” Perino said after the session was over.

The incoming 44th president “was grateful for their counsel and the spirit of bipartisanship they showed,” Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said. The four men who have occupied the White House offered Obama advice on how to manage the office and how to address the problems facing the country, Gibbs said in a statement e-mailed to reporters.

Obama visited the White House shortly after Election Day, and he and Bush have spoken periodically by telephone. Bush and Obama also had a private one-on-one meeting before the lunch.

Obama will take over as the country is in the grip of a recession and has combat forces deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is pressing Congress to act quickly on an economic stimulus plan of about $775 billion over two years to prod the U.S. economy. He is planning to give a speech on his plans tomorrow.

To contact the reporters on this story: Hans Nichols in Washington at hnichols2@bloomberg.net; Roger Runningen in Washington at rrunningen@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 7, 2009 15:46 EST