Robert Gates on Being President: ‘I’m Getting Encouraged’ with How Biden Is Handling the Job

DICKERSON You were a ░░░░░░░░ of President Biden s ░░░░░░░░ he was president but ░░░░░░░░ ve said a couple ░░░░░░░░ things you agree with ░░░░░░░░ his presidency so far ░░░░░░░░ you surprised GATES No ░░░░░░░░ really The reality is ░░░░░░░░ most of my concerns ░░░░░░░░ criticisms of Senator Biden ░░░░░░░░ had to do with ░░░░░░░░ he voted on and ░░░░░░░░ in the Cold War ░░░░░░░░ he basically opposed every ░░░░░░░░ initiative Ronald Reagan had ░░░░░░░░ terms of the arms ░░░░░░░░ with the Soviets and ░░░░░░░░ other things In the ░░░░░░░░ Administration in fact we ░░░░░░░░ agreed on almost everything ░░░░░░░░ Afghanistan Now that was ░░░░░░░░ huge difference And that ░░░░░░░░ a big deal We ░░░░░░░░ always had a friendly ░░░░░░░░ I mean we re ░░░░░░░░ literally and figuratively old ░░░░░░░░ where you can disagree ░░░░░░░░ people and still respect ░░░░░░░░ and like them DICKERSON ░░░░░░░░ re about the same ░░░░░░░░ GATES Almost exactly DICKERSON ░░░░░░░░ you do the job ░░░░░░░░ being president at this ░░░░░░░░ GATES Laughs Well I ░░░░░░░░ getting encouraged so far ░░░░░░░░ didn t think so ░░░░░░░░ year or two ago ░░░░░░░░ so far so good ░░░░░░░░ You mean you re ░░░░░░░░ by Joe Biden s ░░░░░░░░ to handle the job ░░░░░░░░ Yeah.”