Bob Gates

[whtfbplaya]

Who is Bob Gates that Bush keeps talking about on TV?

[carter08]

President of A&M

[g$$]

He replaced Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense. Huge loss for A&M as he was a great President. Very well-liked in all aspects on campus. Solid human being, but he said duty calls. I respect that from him.

This is not good for A&M. Now we need a new President & soon a new football coach. Not good.

The new Chancellor is now Steve & Seth McKinney's (former Aggies & now NFL players) dad though.

[CHS_Grad '85]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
Who is Bob Gates that Bush keeps talking about on TV? Read all about it here...

Rumsfield steps down (http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54375)

[Boosty_Hondo]

/wow he stepped down?

[whtfbplaya]

Is Bob a nickname, I thought his name was Robert.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
Is Bob a nickname, I thought his name was Robert.

must be a nickname...I didn't put 2 and 2 together until just now cuz I know the A&M President as Robert Gates.

[injuredinmelee]

and Texas Monthly just wasted all that ink on him.

[g$$]

Robert "Bob" Gates, former CIA Chief & then Texas A&M University President. Tight w/ George W. Bush & his dad.

Served 26 years in the CIA under different Presidents. Still must be approved by Senate.

Big loss for A&M. No 2 ways about it. He had big visions for A&M, like the 20/20 program, etc.

Kinda looks like Fran huh?

[AggieJohn]

i wish i had a link to my picture with him

[CalallenWildcat]

Texas Monthly cover curse! :D

Seriously, I've met Robert Gates a few times, he's a really good guy.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by g$$
Robert "Bob" Gates, former CIA Chief & then Texas A&M University President. Tight w/ George W. Bush & his dad.

Served 26 years in the CIA under different Presidents. Still must be approved by Senate.

Big loss for A&M. No 2 ways about it. He had big visions for A&M, like the 20/20 program, etc.

Kinda looks like Fran huh?
One of the few times I've disagreed with you, g$$. I think he was one of the worst presidents A&M ever had, and most of the classes of '05, '06, and '07, and '08 would agree with me. Some of his plans were great, but he didn't put as much stock into A&M traditions as many of the older students would've liked. For about a three-year period, he was probably the most hated man on campus... at least until transportation director Rod Weis came along and Fran started tanking like Sea World.

The kids still on campus old enough to remember a lot of the traditions (I don't know if you've been on campus lately, but "howdy" is almost nonexistant) are dying out quickly. Gates firmly stood behind doing away with the Bonfire altogether, he was the one who told the Corps not to attend Student Bonfire, and his vision for A&M is much different than what most Old Ags' is.

The thing with the underclassmen on campus now (and about half the junior class) is that they're not quite old enough to remember how the campus used to be, so they don't fully understand the "tradition" that we talk about. Heck, just in the three years I lived in B/CS (August 2003-September 2006) you could see the change. My brother (a fifth-year senior... Stallion02 on the Downlow) remembered visiting the campus his junior year in HS (circa 2000) and how everyone said "Howdy." It had died somewhat when he got here in '02, a little more when Amanda and I got here in '03, and almost completely now.

I'm sure AJ remembers some of this from his days on campus. If you pick up just about any Battalion from '03 through about '05, there was a weekly glut of hate mail for President Gates in the Letters to the Editor.

Personally, I think he got the ball rolling for some great educational improvements on campus, but I think he did so at the expense of what we've all come to know as Texas A&M.

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by g$$

This is not good for A&M. Now we need a new President & soon a new football coach. Not good.

.
I'd say go and get Rummy for President there.;)

[AggieJohn]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
I'm sure AJ remembers some of this from his days on campus.

I do actually remember all the hate mail. What you don't realize russ was that the Battalion is about one of the most liberal pieces of Crap that ever was on Campus.

I know your a journalism major or broadcasting major and you'll probably disagree with me, but i have experience writing a paper before I got there and I laughed at the blatent leftist views of the Batt.

Tell me you think that Dr. Gates didn't care for A&M or was concerned for it's well being after this:

quote:

I WOULD LIKE TO END BY SHARING WITH YOU A VERY PERSONAL STORY OF HOW CLOSE I CAME TO LEAVING TEXAS A&M LAST JANUARY, AND WHY I STAYED.



ON JANUARY 6, 2005, ANDY CARD, PRESIDENT BUSH’S CHIEF OF STAFF (AND AN OLD FRIEND), CALLED TO SEE IF I WOULD BE WILLING TO BECOME THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE – THE INTELLIGENCE CZAR CREATED BY CONGRESS LAST YEAR WITH AUTHORITY OVER ALL INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING CIA AND THE INTELLIGENCE COMPONENTS OF THE FBI AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. I FELT DUTY-BOUND TO GIVE THE REQUEST SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. FOR THE NEXT 17 DAYS AND MOSTLY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL HOURS AT THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE MONDAY BEFORE INAUGURATION DAY, I WRESTLED WITH THIS DECISION. ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 23RD, I DECIDED THAT IF I COULD HELP MAKE AMERICA SAFER IN A TIME OF TERRORISM AND WAR, THEN I MUST, AND THEREFORE HAD TO ACCEPT THE POSITION AND LEAVE TEXAS A&M.



THAT SUNDAY EVENING, I WROTE OUT WHAT I WOULD SAY AT THE TRADITIONAL INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON WITH THE PRESIDENT – A PRESS CONFERENCE I EXPECTED WOULD TAKE PLACE WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS. I ALSO WROTE AN E-MAIL TO ALL AGGIES EXPLAINING MY DECISION, TO BE ISSUED IN COLLEGE STATION AT THE SAME TIME THE PRESS CONFERENCE BEGAN. THE LAST SENTENCE OF THAT E-MAIL READ: “FOR NOW, THOUGH, I ONLY WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS APPOINTMENT WAS DUE TO NO INITIATIVE OF MINE, THAT THE DECISION WAS WRENCHING, AND THAT I CAN HARDLY BEAR THE IDEA OF LEAVE AGGIELAND.”



I THEN WENT FOR A LATE NIGHT WALK AROUND CAMPUS. THROUGH THE QUAD, BY THE EVANS LIBRARY, PAST SBISA AND AROUND THE NORTHSIDE DORMS, BACK BY THE YMCA BUILDING, AND FINALLY TO ACADEMIC PLAZA AND THE STATUE OF SUL ROSS. I SAT DOWN ON A BENCH THERE, AS THOUGHTS RACED THROUGH MY MIND OF ROSS AND RUDDER, OF SILVER TAPS AND MUSTER, OF THE CORPS, OF THE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND STAFF HERE, AND OF ALL THAT IS UNDERWAY TO MAKE A&M EVEN GREATER. I REALIZED, SITTING THERE IN THE DARK, BRUSHING AWAY TEARS, HOW MUCH I HAD COME TO LOVE TEXAS A&M, ALL IT STANDS FOR, AND ALL IT CAN BECOME. AND I KNEW AT THAT MOMENT I COULD NOT LEAVE.

I CALLED ANDY CARD AT 8 A.M. THE NEXT MORNING AND TOLD HIM I HAD TO TELL THE PRESIDENT NO. I HAVE NOT REGRETTED THAT DECISION.



Go ahead and debate whether or not the man is an Aggie.

[SintonFan]

Yes, but Gates is blamed for everything that could be considered negative for A&M during his tenure right?:thinking:

[AggieJohn]

Originally posted by SintonFan
Yes, but Gates is blamed for everything that could be considered negative for A&M during his tenure right?:thinking: So is bush, so was clinton, so is every public figure......i wish we didn't live in such a touchy feely time....

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by AggieJohn
I do actually remember all the hate mail. What you don't realize russ was that the Battalion is about one of the most liberal pieces of Crap that ever was on Campus.

I know your a journalism major or broadcasting major and you'll probably disagree with me, but i have experience writing a paper before I got there and I laughed at the blatent leftist views of the Batt.

Tell me you think that Dr. Gates didn't care for A&M or was concerned for it's well being after this:

quote:

I WOULD LIKE TO END BY SHARING WITH YOU A VERY PERSONAL STORY OF HOW CLOSE I CAME TO LEAVING TEXAS A&M LAST JANUARY, AND WHY I STAYED.



ON JANUARY 6, 2005, ANDY CARD, PRESIDENT BUSH’S CHIEF OF STAFF (AND AN OLD FRIEND), CALLED TO SEE IF I WOULD BE WILLING TO BECOME THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE – THE INTELLIGENCE CZAR CREATED BY CONGRESS LAST YEAR WITH AUTHORITY OVER ALL INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING CIA AND THE INTELLIGENCE COMPONENTS OF THE FBI AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. I FELT DUTY-BOUND TO GIVE THE REQUEST SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. FOR THE NEXT 17 DAYS AND MOSTLY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL HOURS AT THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE MONDAY BEFORE INAUGURATION DAY, I WRESTLED WITH THIS DECISION. ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 23RD, I DECIDED THAT IF I COULD HELP MAKE AMERICA SAFER IN A TIME OF TERRORISM AND WAR, THEN I MUST, AND THEREFORE HAD TO ACCEPT THE POSITION AND LEAVE TEXAS A&M.



THAT SUNDAY EVENING, I WROTE OUT WHAT I WOULD SAY AT THE TRADITIONAL INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON WITH THE PRESIDENT – A PRESS CONFERENCE I EXPECTED WOULD TAKE PLACE WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS. I ALSO WROTE AN E-MAIL TO ALL AGGIES EXPLAINING MY DECISION, TO BE ISSUED IN COLLEGE STATION AT THE SAME TIME THE PRESS CONFERENCE BEGAN. THE LAST SENTENCE OF THAT E-MAIL READ: “FOR NOW, THOUGH, I ONLY WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS APPOINTMENT WAS DUE TO NO INITIATIVE OF MINE, THAT THE DECISION WAS WRENCHING, AND THAT I CAN HARDLY BEAR THE IDEA OF LEAVE AGGIELAND.”



I THEN WENT FOR A LATE NIGHT WALK AROUND CAMPUS. THROUGH THE QUAD, BY THE EVANS LIBRARY, PAST SBISA AND AROUND THE NORTHSIDE DORMS, BACK BY THE YMCA BUILDING, AND FINALLY TO ACADEMIC PLAZA AND THE STATUE OF SUL ROSS. I SAT DOWN ON A BENCH THERE, AS THOUGHTS RACED THROUGH MY MIND OF ROSS AND RUDDER, OF SILVER TAPS AND MUSTER, OF THE CORPS, OF THE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND STAFF HERE, AND OF ALL THAT IS UNDERWAY TO MAKE A&M EVEN GREATER. I REALIZED, SITTING THERE IN THE DARK, BRUSHING AWAY TEARS, HOW MUCH I HAD COME TO LOVE TEXAS A&M, ALL IT STANDS FOR, AND ALL IT CAN BECOME. AND I KNEW AT THAT MOMENT I COULD NOT LEAVE.

I CALLED ANDY CARD AT 8 A.M. THE NEXT MORNING AND TOLD HIM I HAD TO TELL THE PRESIDENT NO. I HAVE NOT REGRETTED THAT DECISION.



Go ahead and debate whether or not the man is an Aggie.
AJ, I was in the biz for 3 1/2 years for four different outlets (TV and print), plus I've done freelance work on and off for the past three years. The Batt was nowhere near as bad as anywhere else. My first job was at the most right-leaning media outlet in Corpus, and I'd say they leaned to the left ten times worse than the Batt.

Besides, it wasn't the Batt that I was talking about, it was Letters to the Editor. The students themselves. Amanda's friends, some of whom were in SGA, didn't agree with his policies.

I never said he didn't care about the campus, I said that he's let traditions slip by the wayside. In my opinion, that's the worst thing that could ever happen to A&M.

[AggieJohn]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
AJ, I was in the biz for 3 1/2 years for four different outlets (TV and print), plus I've done freelance work on and off for the past three years. The Batt was nowhere near as bad as anywhere else. My first job was at the most right-leaning media outlet in Corpus, and I'd say they leaned to the left ten times worse than the Batt.

Besides, it wasn't the Batt that I was talking about, it was Letters to the Editor. The students themselves. Amanda's friends, some of whom were in SGA, didn't agree with his policies.

I never said he didn't care about the campus, I said that he's let traditions slip by the wayside. In my opinion, that's the worst thing that could ever happen to A&M. Don't even get me started on SGA at College station. I still want to be your friend.

[Pudlugger]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
One of the few times I've disagreed with you, g$$. I think he was one of the worst presidents A&M ever had, and most of the classes of '05, '06, and '07, and '08 would agree with me. Some of his plans were great, but he didn't put as much stock into A&M traditions as many of the older students would've liked. For about a three-year period, he was probably the most hated man on campus... at least until transportation director Rod Weis came along and Fran started tanking like Sea World.

The kids still on campus old enough to remember a lot of the traditions (I don't know if you've been on campus lately, but "howdy" is almost nonexistant) are dying out quickly. Gates firmly stood behind doing away with the Bonfire altogether, he was the one who told the Corps not to attend Student Bonfire, and his vision for A&M is much different than what most Old Ags' is.

The thing with the underclassmen on campus now (and about half the junior class) is that they're not quite old enough to remember how the campus used to be, so they don't fully understand the "tradition" that we talk about. Heck, just in the three years I lived in B/CS (August 2003-September 2006) you could see the change. My brother (a fifth-year senior... Stallion02 on the Downlow) remembered visiting the campus his junior year in HS (circa 2000) and how everyone said "Howdy." It had died somewhat when he got here in '02, a little more when Amanda and I got here in '03, and almost completely now.

I'm sure AJ remembers some of this from his days on campus. If you pick up just about any Battalion from '03 through about '05, there was a weekly glut of hate mail for President Gates in the Letters to the Editor.

Personally, I think he got the ball rolling for some great educational improvements on campus, but I think he did so at the expense of what we've all come to know as Texas A&M.

First time I heard about Gatres was a
Texas Monthly article in 2002 where he outlined his goals for his tenure at A&M.
He stated that A&M was not a first teir institution with a lot of local culture and he wanted to elevate it to the stature of a national university like UC Berkeley . I kid you not, I was shocked.:mad:

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by AggieJohn
So is bush, so was clinton, so is every public figure......i wish we didn't live in such a touchy feely time....
.
And rumor and innuendo no doubt are given precedence over fact.... next thing you're gonna tell me is that a nickel used to buy you a cup of coffee.:(

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by Pudlugger
First time I heard about Gatres was a
Texas Monthly article in 2002 where he outlined his goals for his tenure at A&M.
He stated that A&M was not a first teir institution with a lot of local culture and he wanted to elevate it to the stature of a national university like UC Berkeley . I kid you not, I was shocked.:mad:
Yeah, he had great ideas for the campus and was well on his way to accomplishing those goals, particularly the academic ones. Vision 2020 is underway and by that year, TAMU should be another "public Ivy" along the lines of Berkley, UNC, Virginia, etc. Unfortunately, he was so big into those goals that A&M lost some of its identity along the way.

AJ, I'm a fairly conservative guy, but if you had kept up with Gates' policies I don't see how you could support him the way you do. Maybe you do or don't like the Batt and SGA, but Gates was about as progressive with his policies as you can get. Great for academics, horrible for the culture.



P.S. I'm not saying that his goals were all bad. I like the fact that A&M is trying to become more diverse and trying to get better in the academic arena, I just don't care for the fact that he forbid Corps members from attending Student Bonfire or helping out with it, being one of the staunchest supporters of the cancellation of the Bonfire permanently, and "disagreeing" with certain on-campus student groups who were pro-bonfire. It all started there, and the more I read on him the less I liked him.

I have no doubt that he's a fine man, great person, and was a solid choice for his new position. I just didn't care for him as an A&M administrator.

[bulldogman06]

Dr. Gates was one helluva school president, and everyone I say howdy to says it back, I really have not encountered anyone who wont say it. the bonfire thing is a little iffy for me, but you take the little bit of bad with the large amount of good Dr. Gates brought here. I really wanna know who the new president is gonna be now

[g$$]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
One of the few times I've disagreed with you, g$$. I think he was one of the worst presidents A&M ever had, and most of the classes of '05, '06, and '07, and '08 would agree with me. Some of his plans were great, but he didn't put as much stock into A&M traditions as many of the older students would've liked. For about a three-year period, he was probably the most hated man on campus... at least until transportation director Rod Weis came along and Fran started tanking like Sea World.

The kids still on campus old enough to remember a lot of the traditions (I don't know if you've been on campus lately, but "howdy" is almost nonexistant) are dying out quickly. Gates firmly stood behind doing away with the Bonfire altogether, he was the one who told the Corps not to attend Student Bonfire, and his vision for A&M is much different than what most Old Ags' is.

The thing with the underclassmen on campus now (and about half the junior class) is that they're not quite old enough to remember how the campus used to be, so they don't fully understand the "tradition" that we talk about. Heck, just in the three years I lived in B/CS (August 2003-September 2006) you could see the change. My brother (a fifth-year senior... Stallion02 on the Downlow) remembered visiting the campus his junior year in HS (circa 2000) and how everyone said "Howdy." It had died somewhat when he got here in '02, a little more when Amanda and I got here in '03, and almost completely now.

I'm sure AJ remembers some of this from his days on campus. If you pick up just about any Battalion from '03 through about '05, there was a weekly glut of hate mail for President Gates in the Letters to the Editor.

Personally, I think he got the ball rolling for some great educational improvements on campus, but I think he did so at the expense of what we've all come to know as Texas A&M.


Well, it may be a little of both worlds. I do know he did a lot for athletics (University Studies Program, grade relief, etc.) that Bowen would not do. I was there then. But I agree A&M can improve in some areas & still keep its identity. I am not on campus much anymore, so maybe I have lost touch somewhat. That is sad to hear Russ if all true, & I respect your opinion. I think he was a solid choice by Bush though.

The 20/20 Campaign, diversity, etc. were big on his agenda no doubt. I miss Old Army I guess. What makes Texas & Texas A&M such great institutions are their distinct differences IMO.

[Aesculus gilmus]

This labeling of "The Battalion" newspaper with various politically-charged epithets is just "over the top" IMHO.

I have noticed an intensifying trend since 2001 and that is that Texans think everyone in the rest of the country is "leftist" and "lib'rul." It's not easy to define what those epithets mean anymore because of their overuse.

They mean different things to different people. Basically, it just means the person being called such a name doesn't agree with the person hurling the epithet.

It is my observation that Aggies are to the right of even typical Texans because of their militaristic traditions.

The voters in most of the other areas of the country have apparently agreed that "Texas is a state of mind" as the saying goes, but they also seem to be saying that the state of that mind can be termed "clinically insane" at this point.

Texas should become a separate country again and declare war on the rest of the world. I'm sure we can win.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by bulldogman06
Dr. Gates was one helluva school president, and everyone I say howdy to says it back, I really have not encountered anyone who wont say it. the bonfire thing is a little iffy for me, but you take the little bit of bad with the large amount of good Dr. Gates brought here. I really wanna know who the new president is gonna be now
It's not like it used to be, bulldog. Just when I first got to CS, you couldn't walk to class without hearing "Howdy" 5-10 times. Nowadays, you can walk clear across campus without hearing it once.

I've been on campus probably 15-20 times this year and it's been said to me maybe five times. Back in the 90's (and I know g$$ knows all about this) it was being thrown around like Tina Turner at Ike's birthday party.

[g$$]

Absolutely, "howdy" was a symbol of friendliness & hospitality. Sad that it has waned in the past few years. It was BIG when I attended & worked there. That is sad to say the least.

Gates was not all bad. He did some very progressive things for A&M but alienated some along the way. Overall though, I would say he was a good President. I still like this quote:

"Were we to become a top ten university and lose that spirit, those traditions, our culture, we would be nothing more than another giant education factory. A big brain with no heart. Hell, we might as well be in Austin ."

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by g$$
Absolutely, "howdy" was a symbol of friendliness & hospitality. Sad that it has waned in the past few years. It was BIG when I attended & worked there. That is sad to say the least.

Gates was not all bad. He did some very progressive things for A&M but alienated some along the way. Overall though, I would say he was a good President. I still like this quote:

"Were we to become a top ten university and lose that spirit, those traditions, our culture, we would be nothing more than another giant education factory. A big brain with no heart. Hell, we might as well be in Austin ."
I do like the fact that A&M is becoming more and more respected in the academic arena since his tenure. You're absolutely right about him doing a lot of great things, and I really believe that A&M will be a top-tier school within the next 15-20 years.

This is just one of those subjects where several people just don't agree on the same subject. Gates is such a mixed bag that some will love him and some will hate him. Personally, I'm not a big fan, but he does have a pretty good-sized army of fans.

[g$$]

You are right Russ. Mixed bag.

When the term "top tier" is used some take that to mean we are not good now. We are & then some, but some programs need to improve big-time (liberal arts, communications, education, etc.).

Business has made great strides. Engineering is top shelf, as is biomedical science. Vet Science obviously too. Ag Economics is highly regarded. Petroleum Engineering is the top undergraduate program in the WORLD.

There are very few institutions nationally that are regarded as "top tier" across the board. Top tier means Top 10. Ivy League, Cal-Berkeley, Virginia, etc. Texas has limitations too.

Bottom line: A&M & Texas are both fine schools & different too. They were created to be that way with each focusing on different emphasis areas. That is reality.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by g$$
You are right Russ. Mixed bag.

When the term "top tier" is used some take that to mean we are not good now. We are & then some, but some programs need to improve big-time (liberal arts, communications, education, etc.).

Business has made great strides. Engineering is top shelf, as is biomedical science. Vet Science obviously too. Ag Economics is highly regarded. Petroleum Engineering is the top undergraduate program in the WORLD.

There are very few institutions nationally that are regarded as "top tier" across the board. Top tier means Top 10. Ivy League, Cal-Berkeley, Virginia, etc. Texas has limitations too.

Bottom line: A&M & Texas are both fine schools & different too. They were created to be that way with each focusing on different emphasis areas. That is reality.
Actually, it was a toss-up for me between A&M and Auburn as to which school I wanted to wind up at. But when A&M got rid of their J-school, it narrowed the field quite a bit.

Last I heard, their Vet school was up there with Penn, Cornell, and Tufts as one of the top five in the nation. That was probably three or four years ago, but I know my brother was actually looking at "settling" on LSU for vet school.

[g$$]

I have always liked Auburn too, & I have never even stepped foot in the state of Alabama! Probably b/c it is the A&M of Alabama, just like OK State is that way in OK. Always liked their uniforms, Bo Jackson, etc. I need to visit there sometime soon.

The J-school thing still bothers me. We took a big step back there & it should not have come to that IMO.

LSU's Vet School is considered a fall back by people in that world. A&M is widely known as the best Vet program in the South.

Good stuff buddy.