Sam White's College Station Real Estate Blog

Dear readers,

Yesterday evening my wife, Sondra, and I were pleased to attend the sixth annual George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service. The award was presented before an enthusiastic crowd of over 3,000 Aggies at Texas A&M University's Reed Arena.

The honor is designed to pay homage to its namesake, highlight the achievements of the recipient and encourage the public to take on similar challenges, according to the Bush Presidential Library Foundation. Former winners are Rev. Billy Graham, former German chancellor Helmet Kohl, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Sen. Edward Kennedy, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In his acceptance speech, Gates called upon the thousands of Aggies before him to step forward and commit to public service.

"If America is to be a beacon for all who are oppressed ... then the most able and idealistic of today's young people must step forward and accept the duty and the burden of public service," said Gates.

According to The Eagle, our local paper, Gates is a former CIA director who has worked under seven presidents. He came to Texas A&M in 1999 to serve as interim dean of the Bush School, a post he held until 2001. The following year, he was named Texas A&M president, a post he held until December, when he stepped down to become defense secretary.

When Bush lured Gates to Texas A&M, he did so under false pretenses, Gates joked to the crowd. The former president called Gates and asked him to assume the role of interim dean -- a job the elder statesman promised would require just a couple of days a month and would be largely honorific, Gates recalled.

It was two years later -- after Gates commuted two weeks a month from Seattle to College Station -- that a permanent replacement was found, he said.

"It was a classic bait-and-switch con," Gates said.

Gates said he was headed home from his job as interim dean when he was asked to consider becoming the president of the university. He repeatedly declined the offer. But in December 2001, then-Texas A&M System Board of Regents Chairman Don Powell called him to make one last plea. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Gates said, he felt compelled to perform one more act of public service.

The world, he said, turned upside down last year when duty and the president -- this time George W. Bush -- called upon him once again.

"In our heart of hearts, we are romantics, idealists and optimists," Gates said of public servants. "We actually believe we can make a difference, make the lives of others better."

Gates is an impressive man, who cares about every member of the armed forces. In his speech he demonstrated that he know the exact number of service personnel in the Iraqi and Afghan theatre, as well as those killed and wounded.

Selfishly, we want him to return to Texas A&M, but at the same time, we are proud to share him with the world. In this day and age, his is the man who can make a difference.

Blue skies,

Sam White
www.SamWhiteRealty.com

PS - Thanks to the Bryan/College Station Eagle (www.TheEagle.com) for their coverage, so I could listen without taking notes. 

Selfishly, we want him back at A&M.