U.S. investor Buffett says crisis an 'economic Pearl Harbor'

OMAHA, Nebraska (AP) - Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says the U.S. has been hit with an "economic Pearl Harbor," and that the government must respond quickly.

Buffett talked about the nation's ongoing financial woes in an appearance on the "Charlie Rose" show that aired Oct. 1 on PBS.

The 78-year-old Buffett says that in his adult life he has never seen people as economically fearful as they are right now.

He says the United States' economic problems are already starting to be felt by furniture and jewelry stores such as the ones owned by Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

The billionaire predicts that the rest of the "Main Street" economy will start to have problems if the government's financial bailout plan doesn't pass soon.