"We all are concerned about Nelson Mandela's health and wish him and his family well and hope that he recovers," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters at a news conference yesterday.
Obama is scheduled to visit South Africa later this month.
Obama had last met Mandela when he went to South Africa as a Senator. "I know they did meet when President Obama was a senator. The First Lady was in South Africa and met with Nelson Mandela when she visited South Africa a few years ago I believe. But I don't know when the President last spoke with Mr. Mandela," Carney said.
This is Mandela's third hospital visit in seven months.