Barack Obama 100 Days
Obama takes office with world
economy in crisis
Barack Obama took office on Tuesday January 2009.
The world's banks are freefalling and the auto industry is near dead, and Wall Street presented the new U.S. president with its worst inauguration day present in history.
Obama vowed to meet a host of challenges including war, sagging confidence and an economy he said was "badly weakened" by "greed and irresponsibility".
Obama said the country understood it was in the midst of crisis, mentioning war, a sagging confidence and an economy that was "badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some."
"Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America -- they will be met," he said upon taking the oath.
