Obama's Likely to Start Big

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Signs coming out of Barack Obama's transition conclave in Chicago suggest he has no intention of lowering his sights for an activist, big ideas, presidency despite the deep economic crisis.
Since Obama's historic election nearly two weeks ago, some analysts have suggested that the financial crunch, huge budget deficits and two draining wars abroad will curtail Obama's ambitious sweeping reform agenda.
But Obama's approach to framing his administration , frequent campaign trail allusions to activist presidents of the past and possible cabinet picks may signal he views the crisis not as a constraint, but an opportunity.
In an overt sign of bipartisanship, the president-elect is set to meet former Republican foe John McCain on Monday.
He is mulling whether to name big beasts of the political jungle like Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson as secretary of state.
And his pick for chief of staff, sharp-elbowed Rahm Emanuel has a reputation as a man of action, who can get things done in Washington.
"Even as we dig ourselves out of this recession, we must also recognize that out of this economic crisis comes an opportunity to create new jobs, strengthen our middle class, and keep our economy competitive in the 21st century," Obama said in his weekly radio address on Saturday.
He then reeled off a plan to put two million Americans to work rebuilding crumbling roads, bridges, and schools and an initiative to invest 150 billion dollars in a green energy economy to create another five million jobs.