Commanders in chief together

President George W. Bush with President-elect Barack Obama and ex-presidents, George H. W. Bush (1989-1993), Bill Clinton (1993-2001), and Jimmy Carter (1977-1981). Reuters

An entire generation has gone by since the nation last saw this tableau of American history: every living U.S. president together at the White House.

Consider it time for a reunion among the members of one of the world's most elite clubs, plus the one man about to join it — Barack Obama. Picking up on an idea from Obama, President George W. Bush on Wednesday was hosting a lunch for the incoming president and the three former presidents: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. It will be the first time all the presidents have gathered at the White House since 1981.

“All of the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office,” Obama told reporters before the lunch. “And for me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel, and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary.”

Asked what he will learn from his predecessors' mistakes, Obama smiled and said he will learn from "their successes."

All the presidents were last at the White House in 1981 were Richard Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan, who was president then. The three former presidents were there before leaving as part of the U.S. delegation to the funeral of Egypt's Anwar Sadat, who had been assassinated. On that day, all the presidents stood in a circle inside the White House, discussing news of the world. The dominant topic? The Middle East. They were joined in the conversation by one other leader — Vice President George H.W. Bush, who later went on to join their presidents' club.

Too much coincidence? It looks like hte USA has a lot to learn from its past.

Obama talks to the nation on YouTube

In his weekly address, bradcasted on YouTube's website on Sundays, President-elect Barack Obama discusses solutions for our struggling economy in the new year.

Obama intends to generate 3 million jobs, 80% in the private sector. He is presenting his plan today to the Congress. He wants the plan to be approved soon so that it is in place as soon as he takes office, in January, 20th.

The idea is to reedit the Hundred Days action plan from president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, elected in 1932, at the height of the Great Depression (1929-39).

2008 was a year of structural changes in the American society, I would say. From the economy to politics, through culture, health, science and fsport, some barriers had been surpassed and many surprises, good or not, had arrived at the pages of periodicals.

So, I tried to bring those images that reflect the more important narratives and moments of each month, but certainly not all stories will be portraited. Moreover I even chose images that are no too conventional of each story and some have very eccentric angles. And, although I agree that an image worths more than a thousand words, the credits explain each clicked moment.

REUTERS/Tim Sloan/Pool
President George W. Bush winks to a member of the audience before he delivers the final State of the Union address of his presidency at the US Capitol in Washington, On January.

Anthony Suau for TIME
Hillary Clinton departs a campaign event in Nashua, New Hampshire on January.

REUTERS/Nicholas Roberts
A photograph of Heath Ledger from the movie “Brokeback Mountain” rests among flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of the building where the actor died in New York January 23, 2008.

REUTERS/Gary Hershorn
Javier Bardem (R) celebrates as he receives the Oscar for best supporting actor role for “No Country for Old Men” during the 80th annual Academy Awards, the Oscars, in Hollywood, February 24, 2008.

REUTERS/Eric Thayer
Spectators watch from a pier as the space shuttle Endeavour launches from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, early March 11, 2008.

Christopher Morris / VII for TIME
John McCain gets patted down before boarding a plane in March, after a campaign stop in San Antonio, Texas.

Callie Shell / Aurora for TIME
Barack Obama works the phones during a campaign stop in Providence, Rhode Island, in March.

REUTERS/Osservatore Romano/Pool
Pope Benedict XVI waves from his plane as he arrives in Washington for his pastoral visit to the United States in this picture shot April 15, 2008 and released April 16, 2008.

REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

A foreclosed home is shown in Stockton, California May 13, 2008.

Callie Shell / Aurora for TIME
Barack Obama is joined by his wife Michelle and aide Valerie Jarrett, among others, as he makes his way to a victory speech St. Paul, Minnesota. The speech would be his first after clinching his party’s nomination in June.

Ray / Cedar Rapids Gazette / Rapport Press
Boathouses borne by rising floodwaters collide with a railroad bridge in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in June.

Callie Shell / Aurora for TIME
Not to be outdone by two aides who each did a pair of pull-ups, Obama does three before stepping out to address a crowd at the University of Montana.

Heinz Kluetmeier / Sports Illustrated

In pursuit of his seventh gold medal, US Swimmer Michael Phelps (left) races Serbian Milorad Cavic in the 100M Butterfly. Phelps would push past his opponent in the final meter of the race, miraculously beating him by .01 second. In China, on August.

Danny Wilcox Frazier / Redux for TIME

A video of departing President George W. Bush plays at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota on September.

Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle / Rapport Press
A house is engulfed in flames as floodwaters and crashing waves inundate beach homes on Galveston Island as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast on September.

Christopher Morris / VII for TIME
A young supporter of the GOP ticket arrives at a campaign event on Halloween Day dressed as vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin in October.

Gary Hershorn / Reuters
Obama and his wife Michelle depart the stage in Grant Park after winning the Presidential election on November 4, 2008.