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THOUGHTFUL, IT'S WORKED FOR THEM
UNTIL NOW.
YOU KNOW THE IMAGE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA DELIBERATIVE,
DETERMINED, THE THINKING MAN'S
LEADER.
>> HE'S ALL ALONE.
THIS IS HIS DECISION.
>> Reporter: THE RAID ON OSAMA
BIN LADEN.
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CAREFUL
CONSIDERATION BEFORE GIVING THE
KILL ORDER BECAME PART OF HIS
RE-ELECTION NARRATIVE.
>> THERE WAS INTERNAL DEBATE AS
TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD DO.
>> THE PRESIDENT TURNS TO EVERY
PRINCIPAL IN THE ROOM, EVERY
SECRETARY, WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND
I DO.
>> THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO MAKE
SURE AT THE END HE HAD THE VIEW
OF ALL THE PRINCIPALS.
>> Reporter: MESSAGE, HIS
PROCESS WORKED.
>> I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT I'VE
OBSERVED.
THIS GUY HAS THE BACKBONE LIKE A
RAMROD.
>> Reporter: AND AN APPETITE FOR
TAKING HIS TIME.
LIKE THE MONTHS-LONG REVIEW OF
TROOP LEVELS IN AFGHANISTAN.
>> I ASSUME THAT ANY DECISION IS
A NUMBER OF WEEKS AWAY?
>> THERE ARE A SERIES OF
DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE
AND THE PRESIDENT IS WORKING
THROUGH MANY OF THOSE DECISIONS.
>> HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE?
>> THAT'S WHAT -- THAT'S PART OF
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS
THAT'S ONGOING.
>> BEEN GOING ON FOREVER.
>> Reporter: CRITICS ACCUSED HIM
OF DITHERING.
>> WE'VE HAD THE HIGHEST
CASUALTY TOTALS IN YEARS OVER
THE LAST MONTH OR TWO.
WHY?
BECAUSE ALL OF THE UNCERTAINTY
AROUND WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S
GOING TO DECIDE.
>> Reporter: THE PRESIDENT
REBUFFED THAT ATTACK, INVOKING
THE TROOPS.
>> I WILL NEVER RUSH THE SOLEMN
DECISION OF SENDING YOU INTO
HARM'S WAY.
>> Reporter: BUT HE DID
ULTIMATELY DECIDE, THIS TIME ON
SYRIA HE'S SHARING HIS COMMAND
DECISION WITH THESE GUYS AND
THIS GUY, AND THE PLAYBOOK SEEMS
TO CHANGE BY THE DAY AS HE WORKS
THROUGH HIS DECISION MAKING
PROCESS LIVE ON TV.
>> THIS IS NOT CONVENIENT.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
THINK A LOT OF FOLKS AROUND THE
WOR
WORLD, YOU KNOW, FIND AN
APPETIZING SET OF CHOICES.
BUT THE QUESTION IS DO THESE
NORMS MEAN SOMETHING.
>> DOESN'T HE SEEM AGONIZED?
WHEN I TALKED TO ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS, THEY INSIST THAT WE
ALL HAVE POLITICIZED THIS ISSUE
AND THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
TREATING THIS WITH THE
APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF GRAVITAS.