President Obama and governors tackle the economy

Obama speaking to an assembly of nearly all of the nation's governors

From Change.gov

Speaking to an assembly of nearly all of the nation's governors in Philadelphia on Tuesday, President-elect Obama called for innovation and collaboration, and invited dissenting opinions on how best to fix the economy.

"To solve this crisis and to ease the burden on our states, we're going to need action, and we're going to need action swiftly," he said. "[I]f we're listening to the governors, then the money that we spend is going to be well-spent. And it means that it's going to get working faster, and the people in your states are going to experience prosperity sooner."

Governors and governors-elect from nearly every state attended. President-elect Obama quoted Justice Louis Brandeis, who said "a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory," and encouraged Democratic and Republican governors alike to seek creative solutions.

"We are not going to be hampered by ideology in trying to get this country back on track," he said. "We want to figure out what works."

Before the meeting began, President-elect Obama walked across the street to greet some schoolchildren who had assembled there.