White House puts on security exercise

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Nominees to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet visited the White House for a security exercise, President Bush's chief of staff said Tuesday.

Members of the outgoing administration also gave their successors security briefings before proceeding with the exercise, a simulated terrorist attack.

Chief of staff Joshua Bolten and his designated replacement in the Obama administration, former Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., held a joint news conference after a breakfast meeting at the White House. Bolten said that more than 1,000 members of Obama's transition staff had received security clearances.

"In the post-9/11 world, this isn't just good mannered, good government; it's a national security responsibility," Bolten said.

Emanuel said that he and Bolton agreed on the exercise during their first meeting after his appointment.

"We have a great deal of participation both by the present administration as well as our own in running through this exercise and understanding as you have a threat to the country and its security," he said.