the president of the united states says this is important and the right thing and make -- people say, okay, they have been attacking people -- as war mongers the last month and doesn't seem to be working so a lack of confidence. >> you also brought up, interestingly enough, bob gates book, which you, like me, don't think he should have published it at least while barack obama was still president. you don't want that public. my feeling is you don't write about the commander in chief when he is the commander in chief. that said, do you think this book may have actually hurt his standing? >> i think it confirmed the sense that was already brewing in people's minds that he is not -- you know, as gates said, he wants to get out of afghanistan. the good war, the war he sent tens of thousands more troops to and elsewhere in orn respects he doesn't take the military advice as seriously and gates painted a picture and painted a picture of a very political white house not very experienced and not very