Print version Email to a friend

Obama says he second-guesses himself, makes mistakes

27 Jan 2012 00:12

Source: reuters // Reuters

WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Barack Obama said on Thursday he doubted his decisions "constantly" and made mistakes daily but thought he had become a better president with more on-the-job experience.

"I second-guess myself constantly ... I make a mistake, you know, every hour, every day," the Democrat seeking re-election in November said with a laugh in an ABC News interview.

"There are always things that you're learning in the job. And I have no doubt that I'm a better president now than the day I took office just because you get more experience," he said.

Republicans vying to win back the White House on Nov. 6 have criticized Obama for having too little leadership experience - in either the private or public sector - to effectively run the country and steer the economy out of crisis.

Obama called the auto industry bailout, which he said had saved about one million jobs, one of his biggest successes. He also argued that his response to the financial crisis when he took office three years ago had averted a worse depression.

"Had it not been for the steps we took, our economy would be profoundly weaker than we are right now," he said. (Reporting By Laura MacInnis; editing by Christopher Wilson)