An Uncomfortable Spotlight

During President Clinton's State of the Union address Tuesday, one question observers may have had was whether the stress cracks would show in the relationship between the president and the first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton. CBS News Correspondent Elizabeth Kaledin reports.

What came at the very end of the long speech was perhaps the one subject many Americans were willing to stay up late to hear the president address: his wife.

"For all she has done in her historic role to serve our nation and our best ideals at home and abroad, I honor her," Mr. Clinton said, acknowledging his wife, who sat in the House chamber next to Chicago Cubs baseball star Sammy Sosa.

In the thick of an impeachment trial brought on by a sex scandal, President Clinton saluted the first lady and under his breath said, "I love you."

As millions of American viewers watched her smile and wave back to her husband, those who know Mrs. Clinton admit it was an excruciating moment.

"She looks right tired," said Ann Douglas, who wrote the recent Vogue cover story on the first lady after traveling with her last summer. "Her face is drawn in some ways. And this is someone I would say is under a great deal of strain."

Douglas says Mrs. Clinton's reaction in this most glaring of spotlights is not the face of denial, but the face of conviction.

"Instead of assuming that she's pretending it hasn't happened, we might read what she's doing as, 'I know exactly what's going on and here is my response. I'm saying the invasion of the private stops here. I'm saying that public life goes on'," Douglas said.

"She's a terrific public performer," she added.

However, being in the glare of a spotlight with her marriage on display during the State of the Union address is not the type of performance she likes to give.

The first lady is happiest discussing issues with the people and inspiring crowds, as long as she can talk about what's in her head, not what's in her heart.

Reported By Elizabeth Kaledin