Absent Obama is front-and-center in the capital

updated 6:41 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2008

WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama was an invisible force as foreign leaders and Congress convened separately in Washington, the economy at center stage.

One sentiment runs below the crosscurrents as a summit of world leaders wrestled with a global crisis this weekend and Congress in the week ahead struggles with rising unemployment and an ailing auto industry: What would Obama do?

Obama stayed away, ensconced in Chicago, unwilling to make any public show of political influence before he is sworn in to office Jan. 20. Indeed, his break with Congress will be complete on Sunday when he officially resigns his Illinois Senate seat.

Obama was especially cautious about the economic summit, letting President George W. Bush represent the nation. But in the Democratic radio address Saturday, Obama subtly made the point that the summit was only a beginning. "I'm glad President Bush has initiated this process because our global economic crisis requires a coordinated global response," he said.

Obama was more direct with Congress. He urged lawmakers to "pass at least a down-payment on a rescue plan that will create jobs, relieve the squeeze on families, and help get the economy growing again."

"If Congress does not pass an immediate plan that gives the economy the boost it needs, I will make it my first order of business as president," Obama said.

No major economic breakthroughs are expected and, for Obama, the challenges he faces upon becoming president might seem a bit clearer after the foreign leaders and Congress pack up and go home.

"You can imagine the difficulty from the perspective of the participants," said David Lewis, an expert on the presidency at Vanderbilt University. "You don't want to put a lot of effort into doing something when you know that the arrival of a next administration might undo all the work you have done or might undercut an administration that you want to see what they have to offer."

Still, summit participants on Saturday embraced broad principles to strengthen international monitoring of markets and to beef up rules about how companies value their assets, key steps designed to identify risky investing.

Economy in Turmoil Tens of billions remain in bank bailout fund The government has tens of billions of dollars left in the eye-popping $700 billion bank bailout fund created last fall, prompting a debate in Congress over what to do with it. Weekly jobless claims drop unexpectedly No second stimulus, Obama official says Traffic congestion dips as economy falters One casualty of the recession: U.S. mobility

Looking ahead to the new president, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said of Obama: "I have not the slightest doubt that we will be able to proceed along the way that we set out today. This is a reasonable approach that the new president will surely support."

While Obama has laid out an agenda for tackling the economic gloom, the question facing Congress and the international community is whether his prescriptions will be enough.

Obama has proposed a $175 billion economic recovery plan that includes tax cuts, help for states and spending on public works nationwide. But already, economists, labor leaders and some members of Congress are tossing around figures of $300 billion or more. Obama aides are signaling flexibility.

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