WASHINGTON (CNN) - Washington is full of seemingly obscure places where history is made. Deep Throat's parking garage, the balcony at Ford's Theater. Now you can add the fire station at Reagan National Airport.
That's where President-elect Barack Obama met secretly with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to discuss the unprecedented idea of having Gates continue on in the Obama administration.
Reporters traveling with Obama on November 10 knew that he'd gone into the airport fire station after his visit with President Bush at the White House. What they never knew was who he was meeting in the fire station.
Tuesday at a briefing at the Pentagon, Gates spilled the beans.
"We did meet the day he came to Washington to meet with the President. We met when he went back to the airport. We actually met in the fire station at National Airport and they pulled the trucks out so that our cars could go in."
Earlier in the briefing Gates solved another mystery – whether he is indeed a Republican. It's long been suspected that he was a Republican, he's donate to party causes before and served for Republican presidents.
When a reporter asked his party affiliation, Gates said he considers himself a Republican, but not a registered one.
"I felt when I was at CIA that as a professional intelligence officer, like a military officer, I should be apolitical," Gates said Tuesday. "And so I didn't register with a party."
So how does a man who considers himself a Republican feel about working for the leader of the Democratic party?
"You know, the president-elect will be the eighth president I've worked for, and all I can say is I look forward to it," Gates said.
From CNN Politics
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Sweet... lol!
Good Man – His integrity is above reproach.
"a lifelong spy"?
CNN, enough of these pathetic attempts to make an article seem more important than it is with such ridiculous titles
Yeah "Change" we can believe in...Yawn.
If we could ger more of this mans spirit of cooperation out of the republican party in generaly this nation would be in a far better place than it is now – we can only hope that this attituded is infectious and carries on once PE Obama is inauguarated...the last thing we need is the divisiveness that has been the norm (or the bile being spewed by some of the republican AND democrat bloggers alike) – now is not the time it....
Great. Now it seems like Obama is doing what Bush told him to do at their meeting since he went to Gates right afterwords. Colin Powell!
I love secrets. Thank you Secretary Gates for telling America what really happened on November 10th.
Obama! A Life-Long Spy...... Chripto.... Where were you...
I realize the auto industry needs help...and I know where they can get the help they need–
Why don't they contact Exxon, Mobile, Texaco, or one of the others that report record profits–after all one can nott exist without the other!
That's cool, Secretary Gates. Neat story. Thank you for staying on, putting aside partisan politics and doing what is in all of our best interests.
Golly! They are going to light up the Christmas Tree... Barack Obama is the Fairy..... On Top!
Both President-Elect Obama and Secretary Gates made the right decisions.
With people like secretary Gates; no wonder there is so many leaks in government. Obama better watch his back with all of these diarrhea mouth moninees who are trying to undermine his presidency!!!!
Those "secrets" are bridge club discussions compared to the secrets he really knows as former CIA chief. Tell us who really killed JFK, then we'll really be cooking.
While I'm still on the fence about the Clinton appointment, I think Obama made an excellent decision in keeping Gates. During what will likely be a period of military realignment, experience and an awareness of the realities in Iraq will be crucial.
Gates is a professional. If someone isn't they need to go.
Obama is right, we don't want to get stuck in ideology we want action (common sense, pragmatic, focus on security, energy and health care) by keeping it clear.
Professionals are more likely to be able to see the difference. I hope Obama can remove any infantile secretaries or under secretaries as soon as they are found out. With all the jobs to fill it would be hard to imagine that some didn't sneak through.
Great story about two great men who will bring peace to the world!!!
God Bless Obama/Biden and their whole team!!!!
This is news?
CNN – That is a wierd title. You guys are as creative as the fortune cookie writers. Take that however you like...
Thank you CNN. I will be able to sleep tonight, without that lingering mystery keeping me awake.
. . . AHHH, , , , THAT IS FUNNY.
For the President-Elect to meet with an ex-CIA Chief in the Fire Station of D.C.'s International Airport, just to confirm face-to-face whether ex-Spy Gates want to stay on the job during the transition job Secretary of Defense, is absolutely astonishing, gutsy, and somewhat hilarious.
If Steven Spielberg or any other producer makes a movie of Obama's historic and unlikely campaign-run, this airport scene must be included.
WAW! That was indeed a BIG secret!!!
. . . AHHH, , , , THAT IS FUNNY.
For the President-Elect to meet with an ex-CIA Chief in the Fire Station of D.C.'s International Airport, just to confirm face-to-face whether ex-spy Gates want to stay on the job during the transition as Secretary of Defense, is absolutely astonishing, gutsy, and somewhat hilarious.
If Steven Spielberg or any other producer makes a movie of Obama's historic and unlikely campaign-run, this airport scene must be included.
Everyone loves a good intrigue!
WOW! This is more important than the financial crisis! What's next? That Dick Cheney was secretly running the country??! Oh, that wouldn't be news....that would be the Truth!