Obama Surprises Gates With Presidential Medal Of Freedom

President Barack Obama surprised outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates Thursday with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a President can bestow on a civilian.

“I can think of no better way to express my appreciation to someone that I have come to admire and who I consider a friend,” Obama said during a farewell ceremony for Gates at the Pentagon. “I can think of no better way to express the gratitude of the nation.”

After accepting the award, Gates said that he was surprised, adding that the President “has gotten pretty good at this covert ops stuff,” a nod to the strike against Osama bin Laden.

Thursday marks Gates final full day as Defense Secretary. Current CIA Director Leon Panetta is scheduled to be sworn in as the next Secretary on Friday morning. Gates, who took the reins at the Pentagon in 2006 and initially planned to retire at the end of Bush’s second term, had some playful words for his successor.

“My parting advice for Leon is to get his office exactly as he likes it. He may be here longer than he thinks,” Gates quipped.

Gates departs for Washington state Thursday, but will retain his duties as Secretary until Panetta is officially sworn in.