Obama's First News Conference

With a backdrop of too many flags to count and the return of the "Obama presidential seal," surrounded by his "team," Barack Obama had his first news conference as president-elect.

Some observations:

---There must be something wrong with me. I don't feel transformed.

---The press are in love with Obama. They want him to be president now.

---Obama looked stressed. He needs some rest.

---Obama hasn't ditched his American flag lapel pin yet.

---A reporter asked what Obama would do if he disagreed with President Bush on an issue during this transition period. Would Obama "defer" to Bush?

Question: Picking up what we were just talking about, your meeting with President Bush on Monday. When -- he is still the decider, obviously, stating the obvious. When you disagree with decisions he makes, will you defer? Will you challenge? Will you confront? And if it becomes confrontational, could that rattle the markets even more?

Obama: Well, President Bush graciously invited Michelle and I to -- to meet with him and First Lady Laura Bush. We are gratified by the invitation. I'm sure that, in addition to taking a tour of the White House, there's going to be a substantive conversation between myself and the president.

I'm not going to anticipate problems. I'm going to go in there with a spirit of bipartisanship and a sense that both the president and various leaders in Congress all recognize the severity of the situation right now and want to get stuff done.

And, you know, undoubtedly there may end up being differences between not just members of different parties, but between people within the same party.

The critical point and I think the critical tone that has to be struck by all of us involved right now is the American people need help.

Obama didn't answer. He dodged.


---Obama made a gaffe. He said that he has talked to all the former presidents who are living. He took his lame remark and covered by taking a swipe at Nancy Reagan and the séance thing. Dissing the former first lady doesn't sound very unifying and bipartisan to me. Classless.

Question: Thank you for asking. Here's my question. I'm wondering what you're doing to get ready. Have you spoke to any living ex-presidents, what books you might be reading?

Everyone wants to know, what kind of dog are you going to buy for your girls? Have you decided on a private or public school for your daughters?

Obama: Let -- let me list those off.

In terms of speaking to former presidents, I've spoken to all of them that are living. Obviously, President Clinton -- I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about, you know, doing any seances.

This is Obama when he doesn't have a teleprompter. That was a terrible remark, absolutely terrible. The news conference was so short and yet he was snarky. Why would he even think to say something about Mrs. Reagan? It was very disrespectful coming from the president-elect.

---Biden stood at his side with his arms folded.

---Rahm Emanuel controlled himself. He didn't say anything so he didn't drop any F-bombs.

---The news conference was EXTREMELY brief. All this hype and so short?

---It was scheduled to start at 1:30 PM CT, but got off to a late start. Will Obama be running on Bill Clinton time?

________________
Transcript