White House ‘downplays Gore visit.’

President Bush will today host the 2007 Nobel Laureates and will meet personally with Al Gore in the Oval Office “before a photo opportunity with the other Nobel winners.” But USA Today’s David Jackson writes that the White House is “playing down expectations” for the Gore meeting, as well as for Bush’s other meetings with the prime minister of Israel and the president of the Palestinian Authority.

UPDATE: Bush and Gore will meet privately in the Oval Office for what the White House concedes is a “photo opportunity.”