In his new memoir, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates dishes out a lot of criticism about the way the Obama administration handled military issues, but the White House isn’t even mad (or at least won’t admit it). While noting that the president is committed to defeating Al Qaeda and winding down the war in Afghanistan, the official response praises Gates for his service, wishes him well, and notes that the president “welcomes differences of view among his national security team.” But there’s one specific point they had to refute: the claim that Biden has been wrong about pretty much everything for the past four decades.
“The President disagrees with Secretary Gates’ assessment – from his leadership on the Balkans in the Senate, to his efforts to end the war in Iraq, Joe Biden has been one of the leading statesmen of his time, and has helped advance America’s leadership in the world,” said White House. “President Obama relies on his good counsel every day.” It’s far from the first time Obama has defended his VP, and it probably won’t be the last.
