Gates Sticks Up for the Press

Can you imagine Don Rumsfeld or Dick Cheney, two of his predecessors, saying those words? Those two continue to show that they regard the press with contempt. President Bush feels about the same way.

Some liberals may not appreciate this praise for Gates, a former adviser to Brent Scowcroft and the first President Bush and then a director of the CIA. Gates was fingered as being less than candid during the Iran-contra scandal. But he survived some tough questions in those tense CIA confirmation hearings.

Before coming to the Pentagon to succeed a troublesome Rumsfeld, Gates had the comfortable post as president of Texas A&M University. Taking the defense job after Rumsfeld has been no picnic.

In talking about the need for a free press, Gates will probably stir up many right-wingers into a frenzy. Some of them don't care for reporters who ask probing questions or editors who run their answers.

A cheer for Bob Gates, but none for Dan Bartlett, who is returning to Texas after years of service to Governor Bush in Texas, then President Bush in the White House.

Bartlett does not get a lot of respect from the press. Even allowing for his role as a Bush loyalist and spinner, he practiced obfuscation.

Even worse for Bush, Bartlett had few cheerleaders in Congress, Republican or Democratic. His mantra was the president knows what he is doing and thanks you for your views, which are promptly ignored.

Bartlett has a young and growing family and deserves a career in private life. In Texas, we presume some employer will be happy to have him.

It is ironic that within a few days, Bob Gates would applaud the press and Dan Bartlett, who regards the press as a nuisance or worse, would be headed home.