Obama Gives His First Press Conference As Prez-Elect

Shortly before 3pm Eastern time in Chicago, President-elect Obama came out to give his first news conference. It was meant to focus on the economy, only straying with a question about the potential first puppy and schools for Malia and Sasha in D.C. It was relatively short, but Obama made a lot of clear points about what he will do, what he wants seen done and the most important fact that he isn't President for another seventy-three days and nine hours (though he wasn't that specific on the amount of time).

From RawStory:

The president-elect said he would like to see Congress pass another financial rescue package "sooner rather than later," but he promised that it would be his top priority if nothing is completed before Inauguration Day.

Obama emphasized that he was working with President Bush, who he noted would still be in charge for the next few months.

"I am not president, and I won't be until January 20th," Obama said.

Obama offered no clues about whom he would appoint to top cabinet posts like Treasury Secretary.

The transition team will "move with all deliberate haste," in vetting appointees, he said. "But i want to emphasize deliberate as well as haste."

You can see that he is raring to go, but can only cheer from the sidelines until he is officially in office. That doesn't mean his cheering doesn't have significant influence, but anything Congress can come up with now to actually help the middle class would be vetoed by the current President. Having Gov. Granholm (think auto industry) and Paul Volcker immediately behind him with Emanuel and VP-elect Biden along with the rest of the economic transistion team was meant to give him gravitas and it delivered. President Obama will be ready to deliver for our country the moment he takes the oath of office.

The Three Sweetest Words: President-Elect Obama

It truly is incredible to be able to say that he is, "President-Elect Obama." Four years ago as of this past July, I was introduced to Barack Obama in the Fleet Center at the Democratic National Convention. His speech there was like nothing I had ever seen before. He held the audience in his hand and blew everyone away, making him the talk of the convention even if he wasn't the nominee.

Then at the beginning of 2007 he started down the path of a hard campaign to become our 44th President. Wow, just, wow! I wasn't a supporter at first, but by February of this year I jumped on board and the more I gave to the campaign in small donations and larger amounts of time, the more I got back from the candidate. Sure, we've had our disagreements but in the end our similarities unite all of us around our next President.

All the hard work had finally culminated into the last day of the election and what a day Tuesday, November 4th was. I bounded out of my apartment just before 6am, giddy and teary at being able to vote for Barack Obama. Seeing the 45 minute line that awaited me was an inspiration, knowing that so many of us were doing whatever it took to cast our ballots for a change. From then on I worked at a couple of poll sites for a candidate out in Queens but kept abreast of the news from my Treo during the day.

Finally it was getting too dark to see and it was time to head back to the city. Watching the first returns at dinner (the place at wifi!) gave me hope but I simply had no idea. The first party at DL21C on west 50th was overcrowded, smelly and loud but the metaphorical air was as sweet as a pastry shop. State after state came in blue and we all cheered. My girlfriend and I however, were in need of some air, so out we went and then over to the NY State Democratic Party party at the Sheraton in Midtown.

The big airy room was packed with revellers and politicians, but was much more amenable and there we stayed until after midnight. When Virginia went blue, I knew it was over, but I just had to see the west coast close their polls to make it official, because the news was almost too good to be true. Yet, it was true and at eleven o'clock, President-Elect Obama was a reality, and the room filled with cheers and screams, followed by tears and hugs. And to top it off, when Governor Paterson came out to speak (during McCain's concession speech) he announced we had won the State Senate back as well, and it added the icing to an already sweet, incredible and Earth-changing cake.