Hagel: There's never been a more difficult time to lead the United States
No president has ever faced challenges as trying as those before President Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told CBS This Morning co-host Charlie Rose.
"What bothers me the most, concerns me the most is, are we going to be -- our leaders, all of us together -- are we going to be able to get through this time, which is a very defining time and a difficult time," Hagel said when asked about his biggest concerns. "I told the president not too long ago, I don't know of a time that has been more difficult to be president of the United States or lead in this country than right now."
Hagel acknowledged that the Obama administration has made mistakes on the world stage. However, he said that he, Mr. Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have to keep looking forward.
"Have we made mistakes over a series of many years? Yeah, I think we have," he said. "But that's not the issue... Our responsibilities now are to find ways that we can make it better. Find strategies and policies that work. We're in a world of uncontrollables.
"We're seeing a new world order being defined right before our eyes," he continued. "We are right in the middle of it. And so yes, it is difficult to come up with policies that work... And I don't know anybody smart enough in the world today who has yet come up with two or three of these policies that are absolutes."
Watch Charlie Rose's interview with Hagel on PBS and Thursday on CBS This Morning.
