Obama arrives in Washington area

President-elect Barack Obama landed in the Washington area Sunday evening, setting up the final march toward his Jan. 20 inauguration. Obama landed hours after his pick for commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, took his name out of the running amid a federal grand jury investigation into government contracts. Obama also faces other challenges in the coming days, including meetings with congressional leaders Monday to promote an economic plan. But as he prepared to leave his hometown of Chicago, he preferred to keep talk personal. "I've got to tell you, I choked up a little bit leaving my house today," Obama told reporters aboard a government 757 plane typically used by vice presidents and first ladies. It was his first trip on a government aircraft since winning election Nov. 4, aides said.