jackk > Gates just said today that he thinks that Biden is handling the situation with Putin and Ukraine very well .
I found this was a CNN interview. He is not praising Biden in general. He is asked a pointed question and answers tersely “this was done right” and several minutes later talks about things we need to do differently which implies they were done right before. You are just not used to listen to polite people talking. He is not going to go on a rant and tries to find good things to praise wherever he can find them.