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Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates discusses his role as CIA director and time spent working in the White House.
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The secretary.
Let's start with you because.
You are the only CIA director that came from entry level you came in work -- way all the way to the top before he went over to defense.
For somebody -- she -- talking.
How do you how do you get promoted from the bottom to the top of the CIA do you do invent some new procedures.
Score well in.
Test touted how did you -- that ballots.
It's it part of the message that I have a college students is.
And that they don't actually don't like much is to never have you never underestimate the role lock.
And serendipity and your life.
I mean I'm -- when I left CIA on.
An assignment to the National Security Council.
Staff in 1974.
My supervisor told me don't expect there'd be a job for you when you come back.
And then I.
Went back at the end of the Ford administration.
Got called by present -- early in.
Carter administration.
Went back down there and ended up spending almost nine years of intimacy so I was out of CI -- -- most of the time just on assignment from CI a -- I'd go back and forth between CIA in the NSA but I never.
Ever dreamed I would would become director effect when I was a brand new employee I would.
Money GS eleven Boston right tiptoed down the seventh floor CIA world executive office -- had no idea one tea and occupying.
Most of those office that's what it seems like such a structured process when -- working in government is that there's -- G yes schedule and you have to go through it and you have to take test.
But it also helps to know somebody is or somebody that.
Wager mentor that was the guy or gal gay views that -- that they've got to boosted up.
I -- a lot of them actually end and I think the the key is it's nothing you can plan for him and what months ended up giving me an edge was that.
I'm.
Down at the White House learned how policy makers actually use intelligence and what they actually think of intelligence.
And it's not always as rosy.
As the people sitting a CIA think.
And and so I had a very realistic view of -- ideas on how do you make intelligence more relevant.
For the president of a senior policy makers.
Then perhaps have been the case in the past but.
You know out of all the CIA directors.
There -- only three of us who were career professionals.
Richard Helms.
Bill Colby and myself.
You also.
Have a unique position in that you went through some transitions.
Between various administrations to came into Washington.
And I find them to be rather you saw some of the more dramatic changes -- you -- the Jimmy Carter from Gerald Ford.
You saw the Carter Carter to Reagan.
You saw of the George W.
Bush to Obama.
Mean it.
And you've survived through all of us well I've asked people people -- how could you work for president so different.
-- like President Bush and President Obama.
And I say I was there with President Carter and President Reagan that ethnicity even in some respects an even bigger changed so.
Mean I ended up working.
And for eight president's at all and they're all very different hand and because there the president.
You either adjust more easily.
