[Screen Shot 2016 04 29 at 9.02.00 AM]CNBC Warren Buffett isn't that excited about the US economy right now. Speaking with CNBC's Becky Quick on Thursday from the parking lot outside his bridge game in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett said simply, "This economy is not booming." "On the other hand," Buffett added, "it's not falling apart either." On Thursday, the first reading on GDP growth to start 2016 showed the economy expanded at a rate of just 0.5%. Buffett added that rail traffic has been quite disappointing this year, and while a major dent in the industry is being made by a decline in coal shipments, across the 25 industries that Berkshire's BNSF railroad unit deals with, "a very significant percentage of those are disappointing." Asked if Buffett agrees with economists who say economic growth has picked up in the second quarter he said, "I wouldn't know, but [the economists] don't know either." Of course, to the surprise of no one, Buffett told Quick that over the long term his optimism level about America is a 10. In his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders this year, Buffett wrote: For 240 years it’s been a terrible mistake to bet against America, and now is no time to start. America’s golden goose of commerce and innovation will continue to lay more and larger eggs. America’s social security promises will be honored and perhaps made more generous. And, yes, America’s kids will live far better than their parents did. Thursday's comments make clear he hasn't changed this position at all. (Really, Buffett has spent his whole business career betting on this same future for America.) And given this view, Buffett said he's not really worried about short-term changes in the economy. "If I feel like a 10 on long-term optimism why should I get depressed if I get a cold today?" Buffett said. As for what Buffett looks forward to most about the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting — which will take place Saturday morning — he said simply, "The biggest thing I really look forward to is hearing what Charlie [Munger] has to say. He never fails to surprise me." Watch the full interview below: RAW Embed NOW WATCH: FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy
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