Washington - US president-elect Barack Obama warned Tuesday that the country faced "hard choices" in an economic recession but promised aid to the more than four-fifths of US states facing possible cash shortfalls. Obama told a gathering of the country's governors in Philadelphia that he would seek their guidance in crafting an economic recovery plan upon entering office on January 20.
"This administration does not intend to delay in getting you the help we need," Obama said.
Obama has promised a new fiscal stimulus package that could total as much as 700 billion dollars to help raise the world's largest economy out of recession.
"These are difficult times. I don't think anybody here is viewing the situation through rose-coloured glasses," Obama said. "We are going to have to make some hard choices in the months ahead."
A total of 41 of the country's 50 states may suffer from budgetary shortfalls next year. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, a fellow Democrat, called for major new investments in infrastructure and energy - two central planks of Obama's stimulus plan.
