Obama Press Conference

President Obama held his third official press conference at 8:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Although the event fell on Obama's symbolic 100th day in office, the president made only fleeting reference to the length of his tenure. Instead, he addressed current issues, such as the worldwide outbreak of swine flu, Congress' passage earlier in the day of a $3.5 trillion budget plan, the war in Afghanistan and U.S. policy on torture.

Asked about the government's growing control over the faltering private sector, Obama offered this comment: "I don't want to run auto companies. I don't want to run banks. I've got two wars to run already... I want to disabuse people of this notion that we enjoy meddling in the private sector."Chicago Sun-Times: Obama press conference transcript (April 29, 2009)

The FOX network did not broadcast the April 29 press conference live, opting instead to air its regular 8:00 p.m. program, the Tim Roth drama Lie to Me. There has only been one previous occasion when a major TV network did not preempt its programming for a Presidential press conference—in 2005, when both CBS and FOX failed to air a conference with then-President Bush.ChattahBox: Fox Refuses to Carry Obama Press Conference (April 27, 2009)

President Barack Obama held his first formal prime-time press conference as president on Monday, February 9, 2009.CBS News: Obama to Hold Prime Time Press Conference (Febr.5, 2009

President Obama addressed a number of topics, including the need to pass the 2009 Stimulus Package, the situation in Afghanistan, and the need for a second bank bailout. He was also asked his thoughts on Alex Rodriguez's admission that he used steroids. President Obama responded that it was "more depressing news in a depressing time."

In his second formal press conference, held on March 24, 2009, President Barack Obama addressed concerns over his $3.6 trillion budget proposal. He called the budget proposal a strategy to attack the economic crisis "on all fronts" and said the $3.6 trillion proposal was "inseparable from recovery".Fox News: Obama tries to break down rising resistance... (March 24, 2009)

Obama held a press conference to announce the formation of his new economic team on Monday, November 24, 2008. Obama announced that Timothy Geithner would be his Secretary of the Treasury in the new cabinet. Several other individuals introduced as members of the administration included Melody Barnes, Lawrence Summers, and Christina Romer.MSNBC: Obama Unveils Economic Team (November 24, 2008)

"It is absolutely true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or economic growth. That is and must be the role of the private sector...But at this particular moment, with the private sector so weakened by this recession, the federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back to life."CNN: This Isn't Your 'Run-of-the-Mill Recession' (February 9, 2009)

"This is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill recession. We are going through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression."CNN: This Isn't Your 'Run-of-the-Mill Recession' (February 9, 2009)

• YouTube Video: President Obama First Press Conference: Prepared Remarks (Time: 7:50)

• YouTube Video: Obama First Press Conference: Segment 1 (Time: 10:16)

• YouTube Video: Obama First Press Conference: Segment 2 (Time: 8:26)

• CNN Video: Obama Stresses Urgency of Passing Stimulus Plan

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