Dancing at the Commander in Chief ballCNN: "Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency," Obama said.
Among other things, Obama said he would issue a pay freeze for his senior staff.
The new president has also promised swift action on the beleaguered economy. House Democrats, at Obama's urging, have signed a $825 billion economic recovery package that the president says will save or create up to 4 million jobs and invest in health care, energy and education.
House Republican leaders, however, asked to meet with Obama on Thursday to offer major changes to the recovery proposal.
"The challenge as we see it is to create a plan that helps middle-class taxpayers and small businesses without wasting money or exploding our national deficit," the leaders wrote in a letter to the new president.
The era of secrecy is over, Obama said. Obama advocating for an honest and transparent government:
