Gates makes first visit to Capitol Hill

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Senators are getting their first chance to sit down with Robert Gates, President Bush's pick for defense secretary, and ask him what he thinks about the war in Iraq.

Gates is making the rounds on Capitol Hill on Friday — his first since being named Nov. 8 to replace Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. The meetings will give lawmakers the opportunity to ask Gates for a candid assessment on the war.

The nominee is expected to testify publicly before the Senate Armed Services Committee the week of Dec. 4.

The former CIA director was serving as a member of an independent, blue-ribbon panel assessing options in Iraq when Bush asked him to replace Rumsfeld as Pentagon chief. Gates, 63, has served in numerous national security jobs under six previous presidents, including Bush's father, and is president of Texas A&M University.

Gates planned to meet in the morning with Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. In the afternoon, Gates was scheduled to visit Sen. John Warner (news, bio, voting record), R-Va., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz.

Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., in line to take over Warner's position as chairman next year, is expected to meet with Gates on Monday.

Members of Congress often meet privately with high-profile nominees before public confirmation hearings to speak candidly and gauge where the political nominee stands on critical issues.

The war in Iraq is expected to be a dominant issue for lawmakers as they speak with Gates. One day after the Nov. 7 elections, Bush acknowledged that the lack of progress being made in Iraq cost Republicans votes and handed majority control of Congress to Democrats. In a bid to salvage American support, Bush said he would consider a change in course and asked Rumsfeld to step down.

Democrats did not immediately oppose Gates.

Reid told The Associated Press that a top priority for the remainder of the lame-duck session will be confirming Gates. "The sooner we can move it forward the sooner we can get rid of Rumsfeld," he said.