Schieffer on Obama: 'Maybe we were not skeptical enough'

CBS’ Bob Schieffer says that perhaps reporters in the media “were not skeptical enough” of President Barack Obama as a presidential candidate in 2008, telling Fox News’ Howard Kurtz that the whole political world was struck by the sudden rise of the senator from Illinois.

Asked whether the media gave Obama an “incredibly easy ride” when he broke onto the scene, the veteran newsman acknowledged that it’s the job of reporters to be skeptical of political figures.


“I don’t know. Maybe we were not skeptical enough. It was a campaign,” Schieffer said in the interview, which aired Sunday, adding that it is the role of the opponents to “make the campaign.”

“I think, as journalists, basically what we do is watch the campaign and report what the two sides are doing,” he said.

Schieffer ended his run as “Face the Nation” host on Sunday after nearly a quarter-century behind the anchor desk.