In a telephone conversation Wednesday afternoon, Bush congratulated Obama and the two discussed life as a president's wife, according an account provided by the Obama campaign. Obama thanked Bush for her offer of help through the transition.

In interviews during the campaign, Obama has cited Bush as a role model for how she has handled a potentially perilous job with grace and a sense of purpose. Bush came to Obama's defense at a crucial moment, while she was being lambasted for the comment, "For the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country."

In an interview on "Good Morning America," Bush said, "I think she probably meant 'I'm more proud'" and warned Obama, "you have to be very careful in what you say" on the campaign trail.

"That's one of the things you learn and that's one of the really difficult parts both of running for president and for being the spouse of the president, and that is everything you say is looked at and in many cases misconstrued," Bush said in the interview.