"I think he's off to a good start," Clinton told NBC in an interview. "I think he's got a good team," he said.

NBC anchor David Gregory termed it as a major vote of confidence, given that last year the former US President was publicly speaking against Obama, when his wife Hillary Clinton was running against Obama for Democratic presidential nomination.

Hillary is now the Secretary of State in the Obama Administration.

"Given the fact that they had to do it in a hurry and he had to deal with Congress and the inevitable compromises, I think he got quite a good bill out of this. This package that he's going to sign is our bridge over troubled waters," Clinton said.

When reminded about his anti-Obama rhetoric last year, Clinton said: "Well, I didn't like it, but what I was stunned by is the way that -- much more about the way that the media seemed to take it seriously, since it was obviously a political moment. But it's over. And the main thing is none of us have time now to look back."

Clinton said he did advise Obama, but that was in private. It has gone well, he said. "I did (advise Obama), but I think it should remain private. I talked more about the, like, nuts and bolts of how the White House is set up and how decisions get made, to make sure that things don't fall within the cracks. I hope I gave some good advice," he said.

The former US President said the current economic crisis, terror and spread of weapons of mass destruction are major challenges being faced by the US in short and medium term.