Gov. Riley meets with President-Elect Obama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama Gov. Bob Riley says he found President-elect Barack Obama very engaging when he met with him along with other governors.

The meeting took place Tuesday at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Riley said the governors talked to Obama about ways to stimulate the economy and the president-elect seemed to have a personal interest in what they had to say.

Riley says he told Obama one way to help the states would be reduce federal mandates that require the states to spend money.

He said the mandates have particularly hurt Alabama’s Medicaid program.

The governor says he urged Obama to structure any stimulus package so it would not be a one-time infusion of cash, but a plan to stimulate the economy for four or five years.