B. Clinton "Honored" to Go to N. Korea

Former President Bill Clinton was uncharacteristically silent yesterday when he returned from North Korea after securing the release of those two American journalists.

Today here in New York, he explained he wanted to avoid saying anything publicly that might tip the balance, as he put it, in the relationship with North Korea. He added that he's no longer a policymaker.

"My job was to do one thing, which I was profoundly honored to do as an American and as a father," Clinton said. "I wanted those young women to be able to come home. And I wanted our two countries to have the ability to decide where to go from here."

Clinton said Laura Ling and Euna Lee could barely contain their excitement after leaving North Korea:

"They were ... delightful on the plane trip home. I mean, they were happy, and they tried to sleep and couldn't. They got their first, you know, real old-fashioned American breakfast and even a little more - a little huevos ranchero," Clinton said. "It was basically a lovely thing. You can see they're very nice people."

Lee said that while behind bars, she ate mostly rice - that had rocks in it.