Obama Still Deflects Gaza Questions

By: Kevin Hechtkopf
Topics: White House

(CBS)

President-elect Barack Obama held a news conference this morning to announce the selection of Nancy Killefer as his "chief performance officer" – a new White House post designed to eliminate government waste and improve efficiency.

"We can no longer afford to sustain the old ways when we know there are new and more efficient ways to getting the job done," Mr. Obama said.

The president-elect then took questions, and he was asked once again about the situation in Gaza. He reiterated the point he has made several times before that he has been briefed consistently on the matter but that he would not interfere with the current president on the matter.

"We can't have two administrations running foreign policy at the same time. We simply can't do it," Mr. Obama said. "Until I take office, it would be imprudent of me to start sending out signals that we are running foreign policy."

On a follow-up, he was asked whether how his silence on the issue should be interpreted.

"I can't control how people interpret what I'm saying," he said. "The silence is not a consequence of lack of concern."

Mr. Obama was also asked about the continuing controversy over his possible replacement in the Senate, Roland Burris, after an Associated Press report said that he would indeed be seated after bring turned away yesterday.

Mr. Obama said it was a "Senate matter," but that he has known Burris for a long time and would work with him if he gets seated, just as he will with other senators. Click here for the latest news on Burris.

Kevin Hechtkopf
Kevin Hechtkopf is CBSNews.com's politics editor.
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by tawpdawg111 January 8, 2009 1:07 AM EST: Oh, no he is the Messiah he will get out his Halo and Wand get up on the Pedestal that the liberals have built for him, wave his Wand and low and behold there will be CHANGE and all of the problems will be solved. He might even put on his Halo and Robe climb to the top of the White House reach to the heavens and be smitten with the hand of the Rev. Wright and all the answers will be revealed to him.

Posted by d7767w at 07:42 PM : Jan 07, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So - I take it that you advocate doing nothing....sittin chilly and ride this big flush right on down the toilet.

aren''t you smart; Reply to this comment


by lopezf11 January 8, 2009 12:06 AM EST: I hope you realize that many of the problems Bush''''''''''''''''s incompetence caused will take well beyond 2010 to fix.

Posted by Rafterman1 at 01:05 PM : Jan 07, 2009

It will take several Democratic Presidents hopefully with congressional super-majorities to fix everything the repigletards have broken.

Posted by yesbama1

It''s apparent they broke you, yes? 8 years Obama is not enough?; Reply to this comment


by abrame January 7, 2009 10:41 PM EST: Obama Still Deflects Gaza Questions

Obama acts like an Adult.

CBS frustrated.; Reply to this comment


by hk4u2 January 7, 2009 9:36 PM EST: Obama does exactly what he should do and that is letting Bush do his job ( if you can call it that)
One President at a time and agree completly with Obama

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Posted by nirak2

Blah, blah, blah. You sound just like him. Lots of words without content.; Reply to this comment


by hk4u2 January 7, 2009 9:35 PM EST: How dare the media try and ''''smoke him out'''' by suckering Obama to be presumptous and assume the Presidency before he''''s sworn in.

Obama is not the President yet and should not be pressured to assume responsibility when he''''s not even the President yet!

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Posted by whitemale08 at

You''re a moron. Fact is that Ohbeemie has no clue as to what to do.; Reply to this comment


by whitemale08 January 7, 2009 8:49 PM EST: How dare the media try and ''smoke him out'' by suckering Obama to be presumptous and assume the Presidency before he''s sworn in.

Obama is not the President yet and should not be pressured to assume responsibility when he''s not even the President yet!; Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 January 7, 2009 8:32 PM EST: I don''t care if he has ''all the answers''. he should keep his mouth shut until he can do something about the problem.; Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 January 7, 2009 8:27 PM EST: If I were in Obamas place I would not answer any question concernng the sitting Presidents job. That is the same as undermining the President and backstabbing him. Until the second that Obama has been sworn in as President he has no power or authority. Get off his case till the 21st of January 2009.; Reply to this comment


by ajmarine111 January 7, 2009 7:03 PM EST: I think it is a good thing that Obama and all the past Presidents held a lunch today. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall.

I hope he picked up some good information.; Reply to this comment


by nirak2-2009 January 7, 2009 6:56 PM EST: Obama does exactly what he should do and that is letting Bush do his job ( if you can call it that)
One President at a time and agree completly with Obama; Reply to this comment