Excerpts From Obama's 60 Minutes Interview

[jefferson_dem]

PRESIDENT –ELECT BARACK OBAMA PROMISES A PROGRAM TO HELP KEEP HOMEOWNERS FROM FORECLOSURE IN HIS FIRST POST-ELECTION INTERVIEW – “60 MINUTES” SUNDAY

Talks About Everything from the Change in his Life to How to Handle the Economy
In a Wide-Ranging Interview for the Full Hour

One of the things he will do as president is create a program to help keep homeowners from foreclosure, says President-elect Barack Obama in his first post-election interview. Obama and future First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to Steve Kroft yesterday in a wide-ranging interview to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Nov. 16 (7:00-8:00PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

He also said he would make cabinet appointments soon and would name a Republican.

In the interview, Obama tells Kroft about the change in his life the election victory has caused, the need to set his priorities and talks about a variety of issues, including the economic crisis, the failing auto industry, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and America's prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

On helping homeowners avoid foreclosure:

STEVE KROFT: Once you become President are there things that you'll change?

BARACK OBAMA: We have not focused on foreclosures and what's happening to homeowners as much as I would like…We've got to…set up a negotiation between banks and borrowers so that people can stay in their homes. That is going to have an impact on the economy as a whole. And, you know, one thing I'm determined is that if we don't have a clear focused program for homeowners by the time I take office, we will after I take office.

On His Interaction with Paulson:

STEVE KROFT: Are you in sync with Secretary Paulson in terms of how the $700 billion is being used?

BARACK OBAMA: Well, look Hank Paulson has worked tirelessly under some very difficult circumstances…I think Hank would be the first one to acknowledge that probably not everything that's been done has worked the way he had hoped it would work. You know what we've done is we've assigned somebody on my transition team who interacts with him on a daily basis. And, you know, we are getting the information that's required and we're making suggestions in some circumstances about how we think they might approach some of these problems.

STEVE KROFT: Are they listening?

BARACK OBAMA: We'll find out.

ON AIDING THE AUTO INDUSTRY

STEVE KROFT: The Congress has said there are not the votes in Congress to pass any kind of a relief package for General Motors.

BARACK OBAMA: For the auto industry to completely collapse would be a disaster in this kind of environment…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 check. So my hope is that over the course of the next week, between the White House and Congress, the discussions are shaped around providing assistance but making sure that that assistance is conditioned on labor, management, suppliers, lenders, all of the stakeholders coming together with a plan -- what does a sustainable U.S. auto industry look like? So that we are creating a bridge loan to somewhere as opposed to a bridge loan to nowhere. And that's I think what you haven't yet seen.

On Reading President Abraham Lincoln:

BARACK OBAMA: I've been spending a lot of time reading Lincoln…there is a wisdom there and a humility about his approach to government, even before he was president, that I just find very helpful.

STEVE KROFT: Put a lot of his political enemies in his cabinet.
BARACK OBAMA:He did.

STEVE KROFT:Is that something you're considering?

BARACK OBAMA:Well, I tell you what. I find him a very wise man.

On the challenges ahead:

STEVE KROFT:Have there been moments when you've said, ‘What did I get myself into?'

BARACK OBAMA: 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 in terms of moving-- moving things forward?" And I think that part of this next two months is to really get a clear set of priorities, understanding we're not going be able to do everything at once, making sure the team is in place, and moving forward in a very deliberate way and sending a clear signal to the American people that we're going to be thinking about them and what they're going through.

http://thepage.time.com/excerpts-from-the-obamas-interview-with-60-minutes/?xid=rss-page

[Faygo Kid]

1. I can't wait. The man and the moment have met.

[Cha]

2. Rec'd~ That's another 60

Minutes I'll watch.

[elocs]

3. "He also said he would make cabinet appointments soon and would name a Republican."

If people got all bent out of shape over a Hillary cabinet nomination, then heads will explode here after this one.

[Steelworker In OH]

4. Where can I find

it online? I DVR'd it but because football ran over, I only got 1/2 of it recorded, and I can't find video of it anywhere online... HELP! lol

The first half was really good. I know a lot of politicians put on the face and spew a lot of crap, but for some reason, Obama really looks honest and human, he looks sincere. I think we got a hold of the real thing here.

[jefferson_dem]

5. I just posted a link in the video forum.

Enjoy. :hi:

[Steelworker In OH]

7. Thanks, CBS has the full one up too now

here's the link to the full 41 mins

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4608198n

its a really good interview

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Just finished watching it

the calm, no drama, intelligence and wit both he
and Michelle exhibited, made me feel that we are in good hands.

I like what Barack asked about Kroft's mother-inlaw to defuse the
stigma that Kroft was trying to create.

It still has really sunk in that we really won and things are really gonna change
for the better. But they will.