As a senator, Obama voted for TARP in 2008 (as did fellow candidate McCain). So in some sense, he did do something. It would also be naive to believe that he

As a senator, Obama voted for TARP in 2008 (as did fellow candidate McCain). So in some sense, he did do something. It would also be naive to believe that he didn't spend a lot of time planning his future actions during that year. But you are correct that his main role in solving the 2008 financial crisis came in 2009 after he was sworn in.