The Turning Point For His Presidency
Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.
For all the time the president was on television last week, our problems are so severe that there was still not enough time in our interview to ask all the questions that needed to be asked.
With so much attention on the economic crisis, he didn't get a single question about Iraq and Afghanistan during his one-hour news conference on Tuesday.
Yet, when he announced his plan to send more Americans into harm's way, it was a turning point in his presidency - Afghanistan, for better or worse, became his war.
Other presidents have told me that not until they are elected does there come a point when they fully realize the awesome responsibilities of the office.
As I sat with the president, I wondered if some day he'll look back and say last week was that point for him.