Obama’s Biggest Mistake: President Reflects On First Term [Video]
What has been President Obama’s biggest mistake since taking office? Was it the Affordable Care Act? Supporting gay marriage? Was it not taking advantage of round the clock room service?
When Obama was asked the question by CBS anchor Charlie Rose, the president said:
“When I think about what we’ve done well and what we haven’t done well… the biggest mistake of my first term – couple of years – was thinking that this job was just about getting the policy right. And that’s important. But the nature of this office is also to tell a story to the American people that gives them a sense of unity and purpose and optimism, especially during tough times….
“It’s funny… when I ran, everybody said, well he can give a good speech but can he actually manage the job?” And in my first two years, I think the notion was, ‘Well, he’s been juggling and managing a lot of stuff, but where’s the story that tells us where he’s going?’ And I think that was a legitimate criticism.”
Obama went onto say that the president has to do more than just explain the story to the American people. He has to inspire them. So what’s the story line for 2012? According to Obama, “hope is still there.”
Here’s a preview of President Obama’s interview with Charlie Rose.
The full interview will air on “CBS Sunday Morning” this Sunday, July 15, and “CBS This Morning” on Monday, July 16.
Do you think President Obama’s biggest mistake was that he stopped inspiring people? Mitt Romney released a statement in response to Obama’s comments.
“President Obama believes that millions of Americans have lost their homes, their jobs and their livelihood because he failed to tell a good story. Being president is not about telling stories. Being president is about leading, and President Obama has failed to lead. No wonder Americans are losing faith in his presidency.”
What do you think has been President Obama’s biggest mistake?
