December 11, 2009 7:46 AM

Schieffer on Obama: Prizes Don't Count

By
David Morgan
Topics
White House
(AP Photo/John McConnico)
President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech Thursday — an address on "just war" and America's use of force in order to help ensure a desired peace, which was praised by both the right and left — was an "awkward moment" for a commander in chief waging war on two fronts, said CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer.

Despite that, Schieffer said, Mr. Obama gave "about as good a speech as I've heard him make," offering a rationale for why the Nobel Peace laureate had just ordered an increase of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

"He was accepting a prize that many people thought was not given to him for what he had done, but was basically a slap in the face at the Bush administration," Schieffer told "Early Show" anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

"And he admitted during this speech — I think he had to — he said, look, there are a lot more people, many, many people around the world who deserve this far more than I do. He also had to lay out a rationale for a war that many in Europe think is not worth fighting.

"But I thought the key paragraph was, 'I face the world as it is and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people.'"

[Watch , Sunday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.]

Despite positive comments on the speech from even his right-wing critics, including Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, the president still faces sagging poll numbers — according to a new CBS News poll his approval rating is the lowest it's ever been, now standing at 50%, down from 53% last month.

Rodriguez asked what the president needs to do to stop this decline.

"Well, this presidency and what history writes of it will not depend on how many prizes he wins," Schieffer replied. "It will depend on what he does about the economy and bringing this war in Afghanistan to some kind of conclusion.

"People keep saying the president has so many things on his plate, but the thing about the presidency is the president doesn't get to decide what's on his plate. Events decide that. And this president is facing a lot of very severe problems.

"When unemployment starts to go down, his approval ratings will start to go up — and it's just about that complicated," Schieffer said.



More on Obama's Nobel Prize:
Obama: U.S. Standard Bearer for Peace
Obama Offers Treatise on War and Peace
Obama Channels George W. Bush
Photos: Obama in Norway
Full Text of Obama's Remarks
Video: Obama's Nobel Prize Speech (excerpts)
Analysis: Can Obama Deliver on Nobel Peace Prize Goals?
Who Should Get Obama's Nobel Prize Cash?

  • David Morgan

    David Morgan is a senior editor at CBSNews.com and cbssundaymorning.com.

Add a Comment
by bruce789 December 11, 2009 10:08 AM EST
That was a pretty good angle for the speech, better style, religious passion ruined all previous speeches. I remember another controversial winner, Anwar El Sadat, "We must have peace in our time." Seamed like a cool guy too. He was a leader, until then recently, who had been on the aggressive side against Israel. Egjyptians were the threat, he was first Arab leader to say Jews need not leave the Middle East (new concept), even though they had been there since time began except for a couple dozen years when the British found them more secure places to live, subsequently returned in 1949 and started country Israel (pretty close to facts I think).
Reply to this comment
by th9876 December 11, 2009 9:57 AM EST
Obama is finally sounding like the conservative he really is, and has been trying to hide to get democratic votes.
Reply to this comment
by Justaneocon December 11, 2009 9:45 AM EST
I will say this for the right loons who are still attacking Obama for his afghan policy after he provide the 30,000 needed and gave a speech that would make Bush proud about the reasons we are at war.

You are despicable and are the racist that the left accuses you of being.
Reply to this comment
by Justaneocon December 11, 2009 9:40 AM EST
It has to be driving the lefty?s nuts that Obama finally gave a speech the right is praising him for.

Way to go Obama finally you showed you could stand up for America and its interests with apologizing or make excuses for us.

"I am for once in the this presidency proud to call Obama my president"

Now if he would just drop all these idea?s of stealing from one class to give entitlements to another class I would say I support him even more. But I know he has to take baby steps so we will see!!!!!!!!

NC08
Reply to this comment
by rational_1 December 11, 2009 8:58 AM EST
The socialist is toast. He's shown his cards and Americans now finally realize what "change you can believe in" really means. He'll be a one-termer like that other Nobel laureate, Carter, and slink off into well-deserved obscurity.
Reply to this comment
by bantamei December 11, 2009 10:06 AM EST
Do you even know what socialist means?
by cbs4me3 December 11, 2009 8:42 AM EST
Bob: He channeled Bush, as reports say, in confronting radical Islamism directly and saying war is justified in confronting this threat. We will learn how he committed he is to his rhetoric when the 5 alleged terrorists are returned to America from Pakistan. There appears to be substantial evidence that they made many attempts both here in America and particularly in Pakistan to join the Jihad. These things are far too routine to be ignored, or try to appease them by looking the other way.
Reply to this comment
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...