Ship of State changes course

President George Bush walks with Barack Obama
U.S. President George W. Bush (R) walks with president-elect Barack Obama (L) on November 10, 2008 at the White House in Washington.
STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

There are a number of foreign policy challenges facing the Obama administration, including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, continued conflict in the Middle East, nuclear proliferation threats in Iran and elsewhere.

How does a new president measure priorities and begin to steer the ship of state?

Midday's Gary Eichten talks with Brian Atwood, who led the State Department transition for the Clinton/Gore administration, and served as assistant secretary of state and head of the U.S. Agency for International Development.