Rahm Emanuel Reflects on First 100 Days

April 29, 2009— -- On President Obama's 100th day in office, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel today weighed in on whether Obama is trying to change too much too soon, and evaluated whether the president got more than he bargained for.

"Did he essentially run for one job and get another?" ABC News' Charles Gibson asked Emanuel today.

"You know, we inherited these set of problems," Emanuel said. "That's not to point fingers, but the fact that that's the set of problems, and that's basically the hand he's been dealt."

"I think what we can extract from the first 100 days is that this is a president who is not afraid to meet the challenges," Emanuel later added. "I've always said that the best kind of metaphor is the president has a very open hand but a firm handshake."

Watch "World News With Charles Gibson" Tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET for the full report.

Visit ABC News' special section on the first 100 days for video, slideshows and analysis on President Obama's mile marker.

A Clinton administration veteran and a close political ally of Obama's from Chicago, Emanuel suggested it's been key for Obama to establish "the building blocks" early in his presidency that will shape later action, whether on the economy, health care or education. But he also implied that part of the job is to roll with the punches and take what comes.

"We didn't want to handle the H1N1 flu, but here it is and we're going to make sure we are doing what we're supposed to do," Emanuel said.

"You know, you run with an agenda to deal with the problems that are facing the country, or the opportunities, and then things happen while you're a president that will also give it definition," said the chief of staff.

Emanuel also resisted the suggestion of a flip-flop on the issue of so-called torture memos after telling ABC News' George Stephanopoulos the president did not believe that those who devised the interrogation policy should be prosecuted just a day before Obama opened the door to that possibility.

"George asked you specifically about whether or not those people who devised the techniques would be prosecuted," ABC News' Charles Gibson said to Emanuel today.

"No, he asked me -- he said about the policy guidance, and that was the answer I gave to the policy guidance," Emanuel responded.