and controlling in national security of any i have seen. joining us is david gergen. you are the perfect person to discuss this book. like gates you have worked for administrations, democrat and republican, dating back to the nixon administration. what do you make of this book and the timing? >> i welcome the book. bob gates, i have had the opportunity to know him and privilege of working with him over the years. in my judgment he is one of the finest public servants of our time. i think what he tried to do was be very candid about what is going on in washington. it is not just the partisanship and polarization. it is a fact that the man who came in to salvage two wars found it difficult to get