WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said Wednesday night that waterboarding authorized by former President George W. Bush was torture and that the information gained from terror suspects through its use could have been obtained by other means. "In some cases, it may be harder," he conceded at a White House news conference marking a whirlwind first 100 days in office.

Obama also expressed optimism that Chrysler could remain a "going concern," possibly without filing for bankruptcy. He said "unions and creditors have come up with a set of potential concessions that they can live with," adding, "All that promises the possibility that you can get a Chrysler-Fiat merger."