Obama Identifies His Biggest Mistake

"The mistake of my first term—couple of years—was thinking that this job was just about getting the policy right."

By Abby Ohlheiser | Posted Friday, July 13, 2012, at 10:12 AM ET

US President Barack Obama greets well wishers while eating ice cream outside Deb's Ice Cream and Deli in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, July 10, 2012Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.

President Obama gave his answer to the evergreen "biggest mistake" interview question on Thursday. His answer? Too much focus on policy, not enough focus on hope and change.

Here's his full answer, given to CBS in an interview Thursday that is slated to air in full on Sunday and Monday morning:

"When I think about what we've done well and what we haven't done well...the 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."

Obama's campaign for 2008 was steeped in the idea that the candidate sought to change a narrative, but his re-election bid has taken quite a different path as an incumbent during an international economic slump. He elaborated on why he thinks that shift happened: "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."