Colin Powell, the secretary of State for President George W. Bush, endorsed President Obama for re-election on Thursday.

Powell also backed Obama four years ago against John McCain.

Speaking on CBS' This Morning, Powell said Republican candidate Mitt Romney appeared to shift positions during this week's foreign policy debate. "So I am not quite sure which Gov. Romney we would be getting with respect to foreign policy," he said.

Powell said the economy is improving and that Obama got the United States out of war in Iraq and is starting to get the United States out of Afghanistan. "I signed on for a long patrol with President Obama and I don't think this is the time to make such a sudden change," he said. I think we ought to keep on the track we are on."

Powell, who flirted with his own presidential bid in the 1990s, said he did not tell Obama or Romney in advance about his decision. "This is my decision by looking at this as a citizen," he said, adding that he speaks to Obama regularly.

USA Today