Obamas denied presidential guesthouse. Barack Obama may be the most popular incoming president in recent memory, but it won’t help him get a bed at Blair House before mid-January. Blair House is where newly elected commanders-in-chief traditionally move in five days before inauguration to the White House. The Obama clan initially “explored the idea” of an early check-in so daughters Sasha and Malia could start school in D.C. immediately after the Christmas break, a spokesperson says. But they were told that pre-scheduled events and guests at Blair House, which also lodges visiting dignitaries, prevents a move before Jan. 15. “The Blair House, the president’s guest house for visiting dignitaries, is available to President-elect Obama and his family starting Jan. 15, as is historically the case,” says Sally McDonough, a D.C. spokesperson. “As for any conversation, I don’t comment on specific conversations about transition details.” Obama’s transition team spokesperson says the White House has been “extremely accommodating” to the Obamas, and that process has been “smooth and friendly.”