Sec. Gates '65 appears from W&M on CNN’s 'State of the Union'
William & Mary alumnus and former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates ’65 appeared this weekend on CNN’s “State of the Union with Candy Crowley.” CNN’s Candy Crowley, anchor of the popular Sunday morning news show, came to William & Mary’s historic campus on Friday to meet with Gates and conduct the interview.
Gates, who was installed last year William & Mary’s 24th Chancellor, was on the Williamsburg campus to meet with faculty, students and staff as well as take part in Charter Day activities, including delivering remarks at Friday’s main ceremony. The CNN interview took place in the Great Hall of the historic Christopher Wren Building. The hour-long show broadcasts on Sundays at 9 a.m. and replays again at noon.
It marks the second year in a row CNN has taken part in William & Mary Charter Day festivities. Last year, news anchor and political correspondent John King came the nation’s second-oldest college to interview Gates and broadcast his show “John King USA.”
Crowley is CNN's chief political correspondent and anchor of the Sunday morning political show that features newsmaker interviews and analysis of the week’s most important issues. In her role as chief political correspondent, Crowley covers a broad range of stories, including presidential, congressional and gubernatorial races and major legislative developments on Capitol Hill. In October 2012, Crowley moderated the presidential town hall debate between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Crowley has served as anchor of “State of the Union” since February 2010. Crowley came to CNN from NBC News in 1987. Prior to her current role, Crowley served as a congressional correspondent for the network.
Gates retired in June 2011 after serving since 2006 as head of the U.S. Department of Defense. He is the only defense secretary in the nation’s history to serve two presidents from different political parties – serving under former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. Prior to becoming defense secretary, he served in numerous capacities in the Executive Branch and worked for eight presidents. He is also the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency. From 2002 to 2006, Gates was president of Texas A&M University.
At William & Mary’s 2012 Charter Day ceremony, Gates was invested as Chancellor, an honorary position with a long tradition at the university. He succeeded U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
