It must be the first time in recorded history that the leader of the Free World has proudly described himself as a “mutt”. At his first press conference as President-elect, Barack Obama sought to project the gravitas that his post requires.

Making his first market-sensitive comments on the economy, the soaring orator read carefully from notes — even keeping his place with his finger like a child. But his amiable good humour eventually won out when a local Chicago reporter asked about his plans for a White House puppy for his daughters, Sasha and Malia.

“This is a major issue,” he said. “It has generated more interest on our website than just about anything. We have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic. There are a number of breeds that are hypoallergenic. On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog. But obviously a lot of shelter dogs are mutts — like me.”

As Mr Obama loped to the podium, the press corps rose to its feet in a traditional show of respect for the presidency. After almost two years on the campaign trail, Mr Obama seemed slightly bemused.

He appeared intent on restraining the surging expectations that he can provide a quick fix to the world’s ills. “I am not the president,” he insisted. “I won’t be until January 20.”

He began to relax when Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times stood up to pose her question with her arm in a sling. “What happened to your arm, Lynn?” he asked. She told him that she cracked it rushing to his victory speech at the mass election-night rally in Grant Park, Chicago. “I think that was the only incident during the whole Grant Park celebration,” he quipped.

That was only a warm-up line. Soon he was telling reporters how he had spoken to all the former presidents, or at least “all those who are living” because “I did not want to get into the Nancy Reagan thing, with seances”.

By the end, Mr Obama had regained the breezy confidence that he displayed on the campaign trail. Having survived his first press conference as President-elect, he waved goodbye with an affectionate: “Thank you very much, guys.”

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