(CNN)  -- President-elect Barack Obama, President Bush and all of the surviving past presidents got together Wednesday for a historic meeting at the White House. Barack Obama meets with President Bush and past presidents in the Oval Office on Wednesday. "One message that I have, and I think we all share, is that we want you to succeed. Whether we're Democrat or Republican, we care deeply about this country," Bush told Obama before lunch with the former presidents. Bush and Obama were joined by Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Obama thanked the president for hosting them and said he was grateful for the opportunity to get "advice, good counsel and fellowship" from the group. Watch what Obama says about the meeting »
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Historian calls meeting "smart politics," says it'll be light, but could be tense
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Obama and Bush meet with Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter
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Obama says he's grateful for chance to get "advice, good counsel and fellowship"
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Last time all the living presidents met at White House was in 1981, Perino says
Obama's press secretary said the presidents had a "very constructive conversation" and @placeholder appreciated "the spirit of bipartisanship they showed" in wishing him success.