Monday, November 17, 2008
The president-elect said he has spent recent days on short- and long-term issues.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast Sunday that since terrorists might try to attack the U.S. during the White House transition, selecting his national security team is one of his top priorities.
“I think it’s important to get a national security team in place because transition periods are potentially times of vulnerability to a terrorist attack,” Obama told CBS’ “60 Minutes.” “We want to make sure that there is as seamless a transition on national security as possible.”
In his first television interview since his historic election, Obama said he has spent the days since the election on short- and long-term issues, from doing “whatever it takes” to stabilize the economy, restore consumer confidence and create jobs, to getting sound health care and energy policies through Congress. The president-elect also said that as soon as he takes office he will work with his security team and the military to draw down U.S. troops in Iraq, shore up Afghanistan and “stamp out al-Qaida once and for all.”
While investors are still riding a roller coaster on Wall Street, Obama said the economy would have deteriorated even more without the $700 billion bank bailout. Re-regulation is a legislative priority, he said, not to crush “the entrepreneurial spirit and risk-taking of American capitalism” but to “restore a sense of balance.”
“There’s no doubt that we have not been able yet to reset the confidence in the financial markets and in the consumer markets and among businesses that allow the economy to move forward in a strong way,” Obama said. “And my job as president is going to be to make sure that we restore that confidence.”
He also said: “We shouldn’t worry about the deficit next year or even the year after. ... The most important thing is that we avoid a deepening recession.”
While “we have the tools,” the president-elect said not enough has been done to address bank foreclosures and distressed homeowners.
“We’ve gotta set up a negotiation between banks and borrowers so that people can stay in their homes,” Obama said. “That is going to have an impact on the economy as a whole. If we don’t have a clear, focused program for homeowners by the time I take office, we will after I take office.”