Clinton Cuts Trip Short Over Haiti Crisis

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she is cutting short an extended trip to the Asia-Pacific to deal with the earthquake crisis in Haiti.

Clinton told reporters in Hawaii on Wednesday that she would return to Washington to help oversee U.S. relief efforts instead of continuing on to Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand as she had planned. President Barack Obama has directed his administration to provide all aid necessary to assist in relief efforts.

Clinton had not been due to return to the U.S. until next week.

The first lady called the situation "not only a physical catastrophe but a brutal blow to the people of Haiti," CBS News State Department reporter Charles Wolfson reports.

Clinton noted that the United Nations in Haiti had suffered "grievous losses." She also pointed out that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is U.N. special envoy to the nation.

The Secretary of State said she had already spoken to Bill Clinton multiple times about the situation.

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