INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE

THE WEST WING CENTER OF POWER

The legendary Oval Office is here, not in the main part of the White House. Although it was the largest house in the USA when it was inaugurated in 1800, it wasn't long before it was too small to contain the work of government and be used as a home. The West and East wings were thus added, but even these are small and office space is tight for most people in govenment. There are two indicators of status - how close your office is to the president, and whether you have a window. But to have an office anywhere on the first floor of the West Wing, however small and airless, is to be at the pinnacle of power.
The secret Service are in the basement, as is the Situation Room, the communication centre from which the president and the military operate in the event of a crisis.

THE GARDEN: SPORTS, LEISURE AND PLAY

Looking out of the oval Office windows, the president has a view over the South Lawn of the White House. As well as providing a landing pad for the presidential have revealed their sporting enthusiasms (apart from the bowling alley under the North Portico, iniitially installed by President Truman).
Bill Clinton had a jogging track put in to help exercise away his beloved burgers. President Gerald Ford (1974-77) added a pool near the Oval Office, also accessible by an underground pasage from the West Wing. Nearby is the basketball court installed by George H W Bush in 1991, and the tennis court put in by Franklin Roosevelt a little more than a century ago. Between them is a children's play area created by Lyndon Johnson in 1968, where the children of subsequent presidents have left prints of their hands in concrete as movie stars do in Los Angeles. The latest addition is Michelle Obama's kitchen garden, right.

THE MAIN RESIDENCE: FIRST FAMILY APARTMENTS

The central part of the White House has a dual function. The ground floor is used for diplomatic receptions and can be visited by tourists.
The presidential family live right above and, with each change of administration, the apartments are redecorated according to the taste of the new occupants. Although Congress allocate a budget for this, the media and opposition usually attack any sign of extravagance or bad taste. The Obamas have avoided this problem by paying for the redecoration themselves.
THE EAST WING: PRIVATE THEATER, EMERGENCY BUNKER
The East Wing contains the First Lady's office, support staff for the White House, and a theatre in which the First Family can enjoy one of the privileges of the job: the screening of any movie they wish, often before its cinematic release.
George W.Bush was said to be a fan of the Austin Powers films, and frequently raised his little finger to his mouth in imitation of Dr Evil. The Obama family's tastes are not yet public knowledge.
Below the East Wing is the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, an underground bunker from which the president and key government figures can work in case of attack.