Washington - In the coming weeks, the incoming president will face challenges only fully understood by others who have stood in his shoes; Wednesday afternoon, he will have a chance to meet with the four individuals who have also called the White House home.

President-elect Obama has had a busy week since arriving in the District: he has met with Congressional leaders to pitch his economic stimulus plan, worked with his economic team on tackling a forecasted trillion-dollar budget deficit, and gotten his kids started in school. Wednesday afternoon, he will sit down for the quintessential power lunch.

President-elect Obama will meet for lunch at the White House with all four living former presidents: Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush (web | news | bio) .

The historic meeting is the first of its kind in decades: the last time all surviving presidents gathered at the White House was 1981, when Ronald Reagan hosted Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon there (along with then-vice president and future president George H.W. Bush).

Today's gathering was first suggested by Obama at his lunch with President Bush (web | news | bio) last month, and the president arranged for the unique gathering.

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