It’s so hard I often wonder where to start, says Obama

BARACK OBAMA has admitted he faces "enormous" challenges when he takes over in the White House.

The president-elect said America was facing so many problems, from a faltering economy to a financial crisis threatening to destroy the motor industry, that he often thought: "Where do I start?"

But in Mr Obama and wife Michelle's first major TV interview since defeating John McCain, he said he thought he was on the "right track".

Mr Obama was asked on CBS's special edition of 60 Minutes if he ever wondered what he had got himself into. "I feel right now that I'm doing what I should be doing," he said.

"That gives me a certain sense of calm. I will say that the challenges that we're confronting are enormous. And they're multiple. And so there are times during the course of a given a day where you think: Where do I start?'"

But he added that his first priority was to put together a national security team because it is thought the two months before he takes over from President George Bush are when America is most vulnerable to attack. He cited the economy as being of equal importance, as well as health care and energy.

Asked about the failing US motor industry, he said: "For the auto industry to completely collapse would be a disaster in this kind of environment, not just for individual families but the repercussions across the economy would be dire. So it's my belief that we need to provide assistance to the auto industry. But I think that it can't be a blank cheque."

Mr Obama repeated his pledge to shut Guantanamo Bay and begin a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq when he becomes Commander-in-Chief on 20 January. "Particularly in light of the problems that we're having in Afghanistan, which has continued to worsen."

He admitted meeting Hillary Clinton, but did not say if he had offered her the position of Secretary of State, adding: "You know, she is somebody who I needed advice and counsel from. She is one of the most thoughtful public officials that we have. Beyond that, you're not getting anything out of me."

Mr Obama also said he would bring Republicans into his cabinet. He is due to meet Mr McCain in Chicago this week, fuelling speculation that he might be offered some kind of role.

The president-elect has been consulting several ex-presidents and reading about America's most revered Commander-in-Chief, Abraham Lincoln, ahead of his inauguration.

"There is a wisdom there [with Lincoln] and a humility about his approach to government, even before he was president, that I just find very helpful."