[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 45 (Monday, November 17, 2008)]
[Page 1405]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

November 8, 2008

    Good morning. Earlier this week, more than 120 million Americans 
went to the polls and voted for a new President and Congress. No matter 
how we cast our ballots, all Americans have reason to be proud of our 
democracy. Our citizens have chosen a President who represents a triumph 
of the American story, a testament to hard work, optimism, and faith in 
the enduring promise of our Nation.
    When I called President-elect Obama to congratulate him on his 
historic victory, I told him that he can count on my complete 
cooperation as he makes his transition to the White House. Ensuring that 
this transition is seamless is a top priority for the rest of my time in 
office. Our country faces economic challenges that will not pause to let 
a new President settle in. This will also be America's first wartime 
Presidential transition in four decades. We're in a struggle against 
violent extremists determined to attack us, and they would like nothing 
more than to exploit this period of change to harm the American people.
    So my administration will work hard to ensure that the next 
President and his team can hit the ground running. For more than a year 
now, the White House and agencies throughout the Federal Government have 
been preparing for a smooth transition. We've provided intelligence 
briefings to the President-elect, and the Department of Justice has 
approved security clearances for members of his transition staff. In the 
coming weeks, we will ask administration officials to brief the Obama 
team on major ongoing policy issues, ranging from the financial markets 
to the war in Iraq. I will keep the President-elect fully informed on 
important decisions during this critical time for our Nation. Taken 
together, these measures represent an unprecedented effort to ensure 
continuity throughout the executive branch.
    A successful transition is just one of the many important tasks 
remaining for my administration. Yesterday we learned that America's 
economy lost jobs in the month of October, and I will continue working 
hard to return our Nation to the path of prosperity and growth. To help 
address the global financial crisis, my administration will host an 
historic international summit in Washington on November the 15th. We 
will also keep urging Congress to approve America's free trade 
agreements with Colombia and Panama and South Korea. We will continue 
working to defeat the terrorists and extremists abroad to keep the 
American people safe here at home.
    Americans expect their President to conduct the people's business. I 
will continue to uphold this solemn obligation for as long as this 
office remains in my trust. In the meantime, I join the American people 
in wishing President-elect Obama every success. Laura and I wish the 
Obama family as much joy and happiness as our family has found in this 
wonderful house.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 10 a.m. on November 7 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 8. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
November 7 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.