Unplugged: President Obama's "Honeymoon" Phase Over?
President Obama's "honeymoon" period is over, David Rothkopf, a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment, told CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer on Washington Unplugged Friday.
"He's had the benefit of good press coverage from around the world and... riding the crest of his election," Rothkopf said. "Now we're getting into the weeds of a lot of policy issues... issues that have bedeviled people for decades."
He said the leadership of Kim Jong Il in North Korea and the prolonged war in Afghanistan exemplify areas in which Mr. Obama's popularity is useless.
"Barack Obama might be a fresh breeze to Washington, but around the world that breeze blows pretty softly," Rothkopf said.
An end to Mr. Obama's "honeymoon phase" isn’t a bad thing, according to Rothkopf.
"This honeymoon is not really optimal from the perspective of the American people because the scrutiny needs to start from day one," he said.
Watch the full episode of "Washington Unplugged" above. It includes Schieffer's interview with Rothkopf, an interview with CBS News White House correspondent Bill Plante from Rome about Mr. Obama's trip abroad, and a discussion with Zach Bonner, an 11-year-old on a trek to raise awareness of homeless youth.
"He's had the benefit of good press coverage from around the world and... riding the crest of his election," Rothkopf said. "Now we're getting into the weeds of a lot of policy issues... issues that have bedeviled people for decades."
He said the leadership of Kim Jong Il in North Korea and the prolonged war in Afghanistan exemplify areas in which Mr. Obama's popularity is useless.
"Barack Obama might be a fresh breeze to Washington, but around the world that breeze blows pretty softly," Rothkopf said.
An end to Mr. Obama's "honeymoon phase" isn’t a bad thing, according to Rothkopf.
"This honeymoon is not really optimal from the perspective of the American people because the scrutiny needs to start from day one," he said.
Watch the full episode of "Washington Unplugged" above. It includes Schieffer's interview with Rothkopf, an interview with CBS News White House correspondent Bill Plante from Rome about Mr. Obama's trip abroad, and a discussion with Zach Bonner, an 11-year-old on a trek to raise awareness of homeless youth.
