Presidential historian goes behind the scenes with Obama

(CBS News) Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley recently interviewed President Obama for an article to appear on the cover of the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Brinkley joined "CBS This Morning" on Thursday to talk about what he learned from the president both on and off the record.

Brinkley began his interview with Obama in early October and said at the time, the president was "starting to play for the base hard...and is going to use the overturning of Roe vs. Wade as a possible incentive to make sure he keeps women on his side."

According to Brinkley, if Obama wins a second term as a president, he will focus on issues that have been pushed aside recently, including climate change. "The issue that never came up in any of the debates is climate change and how freakish our weather has been," Brinkley said, "I think he sees that as a big part of his second term legacy," he added.

Brinkley also said that the impression many have of the president as reserved or cold is inaccurate. He calls Obama a "very natural person" and said that he was "really warm and genial" during the time he observed him in the Oval Office and on the campaign trail.

Brinkley also addressed the relationship between the two men running for president -- in the Rolling Stone interview, President Obama called Romney a "BS-er," in Brinkley's words.

For more on Obama's take on Romney, and how it differs from his feelings on his previous opponent, Sen. John McCain, watch the video above.