The Robert Gates Answer Everybody's Still Talking About.

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates gave Richmond Forum attendees much to think and talk about in his stellar presentation and the Q&A that followed. But one question, submitted by a subscriber named Marybeth, generated what may have been the most-talked-about moment of the night. Marybeth asked Gates to use one word or phrase to describe each of the eight presidents he has served.

Laughing, Gates' initial response was, "Oh, geez. This is a family audience, right?"

Then, with the same thoughtfulness and candor that Dr. Gates exhibited throughout the evening, he began walking down the list.

President Lyndon B. Johnson: "Tragic. He wanted to do so much domestically and couldn't extract himself from his fear of taking the country out of Vietnam."

President Richard Nixon: "Probably our strangest president. I'll leave it at that."

President Gerald Ford: "Vastly underestimated. A man of extraordinary courage and intelligence."

President Jimmy Carter: "Couldn't figure out what his priorities were. Tried to do too much and, therefore, accomplished relatively little."

President Ronald Reagan: "I think one of our greatest presidents...Ronald Reagan restored the confidence in the American people and confidence in the American dream."

President George H.W. Bush: "Again, vastly underestimated."

Dr. Gates then spent some time explaining his belief that Presidents Reagan and Bush were exactly the right men for the job at exactly the right times. President Reagan teed up the end of the Cold War and President Bush expertly managed the result, including the unprecedented collapse of a world power, the Soviet Union.

Dr. Gates did not work in the Clinton administration.

President George W. Bush: "Confident. A man of strong convictions and confident in those convictions."

President Barack Obama: "Far more courageous than anybody would have expected when he was elected." Gates called the President's decision to launch the attack that killed Osama bin Laden, "one of the gutsiest calls I have ever seen a president make." He also considered President Obama's decision to approve the military surge in Afghanistan very courageous given its political unpopularity.

Our thanks to Marybeth and everybody else who submitted great questions for Dr. Gates. Thanks also to W. Taylor Reveley III, President of The College of William & Mary, who expertly moderated the Q&A.

Season Subscriptions Are Sold Out, But What About Tickets For Individual Programs?

Subscriptions for the 2011-2012 season of The Richmond Forum are sold out, but it may still be possible for you to obtain tickets to individual programs. Here's how: Two weeks prior to each program, we begin selling any tickets that have been donated back by subscribers who know that they can't attend that program. These tickets are only available by calling 804-330-3993.

We never know how many tickets might be returned for a program, or when they will be returned, so we encourage you to keep calling right up until the morning of the program. (Sometimes tickets are turned back in at the last minute, if a subscriber becomes ill and can't attend.)

Tickets for individual programs are $36, $50, and $70, depending on the area of the theater. To check availability, give us a call! 804-330-3993.

Dr. Robert Ballard Kicks Off The 2011-2012 Season

Speaking before a full house at the 3600-seat Landmark Theater, Dr. Robert Ballard wowed Richmond Forum subscribers and patrons with an update since his last visit to the forum 12 years ago. Since then, Ballard's vision of telepresence has become a reality, evidenced by a live video chat with Mission Leader, Dwight Coleman, aboard the E/V Nautilus, exploring off the coast of Israel. Ballard doesn't spend nearly the time at sea or underwater that he once did, thanks to remote command centers in his home and office, and the use of sophisticated, deep diving robots equipped with high definition cameras and manipulators. The new technology is enabling Ballard to explore more vast areas of the oceans than ever before.

Ballard, a natural and passionate presenter working without notes, said that humans have only explored the tiniest percentage of the earth's oceans and natural resources. The United States has the largest underwater holdings in the world he said, yet "we have better maps of Mars." Ballard updated the audience about his latest explorations in the Mediterranean and Black Seas and spoke about the many discoveries still to be made, by his team and by future generations. Among those future explorers are the thousands of students who are now able to follow his explorations live at www.nautiluslive.org.

In a post program survey, 96% of respondents rated Dr. Ballard's presentation as good or excellent.

Sarah McConnell, host of the statewide public radio program, With Good Reason, also received praise as the moderator for the evening's audience Q&A.

Recording artist Susan Greenbaum provided live music before the program and during intermission, as well as a stirring National Anthem.

The Richmond Forum now takes a break for the holidays and will reconvene on January 14, 2012 for an evening with former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Season Tickets Are In The Mail

2011-2012 season tickets will be arriving in mailboxes this week, so keep an eye out for yours. Once again, we've included everything you need for a great season, including information about each program, theater and parking details, even advice on how to improve the chances that your question is selected for our Q&A. Plus, the pocket in the back makes it easy to keep track of your tickets all season long. If you do not receive your tickets by October 10th, please call our office at 804-330-3993.

Before each program, watch for an email from The Richmond Forum that will include any program updates and provide a link to an online version of the program book so you can read up before arriving in the theater, as well as a link for submitting your questions for the speaker in advance of the program.

If you know somebody who would love to become a season subscriber, we still have a small number of balcony seats available. (We like to call these our "High Society" seats.) Have them call our office or visit our website before these last seats are gone!

Thanks for your support of The Richmond Forum and we hope you have a great season!

Dr. Robert Ballard's "Nautilus" Begins 2011 Expedition

Robert Ballard's exploration vessel, Nautilus, has begun its four-and-a-half month exploration of the Black Sea, the western Mediterranean Sea and the coasts of Sicily and Israel in search of ancient antiquity, sites of Neolithic settlements, ancient ships and spectacular undersea geography. The entire expedition is being streamed live at www.nautiluslive.com so you can see every new discovery as it happens, as well as hours and hours of looking. You also hear all of the on board chatter. Yesterday, we were checking in and heard one team member reminding the others, "Remember what Dr. Ballard says...'You've gotta find a whole lot of nothing before you can find something.'"

Today, they really did think they found something as sonar showed what appeared to be a Cold War era submarine wreck off the coast of Turkey. But when they circled back around for another pass, the new angle revealed it to be just a geological feature.

The photo above was taken in the "Control Van" on board. If the crew member on the left looks young, it's because he's a rising high school junior! His job is to record data. Student involvement and education are extremely important to Dr. Ballard. What a great summer gig!

We expect that Ballard will have a great deal to share from this expedition, which will be in its final weeks when he addresses The Richmond Forum in November. We can't wait! Meanwhile, we'll keep checking in live. (It's addictive.)

A small number of seats are still available for the 2011-2012 season of The Richmond, just $155 for all five programs. Visit www.richmondforum.org or call 804-330-3993.

Quincy Jones & Robert Ballard Swap Forum Dates

In order to accommodate a special project that will take Quincy Jones to the Middle East this fall, his appearance at The Richmond Forum has been moved to our February 4, 2012 date. Dr. Robert Ballard, previously scheduled for that date, will now open our season with his presentation on November 12, 2011. In November, Ballard's exploration vessel, Nautilus, will be in the final weeks of a four-and-a-half month exploration of the Black Sea, the western Mediterranean Sea and the coasts of Sicily and Israel in search of ancient antiquity, sites of Neolithic settlements, ancient ships and spectacular undersea geography. We expect that he will have a great deal of exciting and timely news to share with The Richmond Forum in November!

Retired U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates to Address The Richmond Forum

We are pleased to announce that newly retired Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has accepted an invitation to address The Richmond Forum on January 14, 2012. Gates retired on June 30th after serving four and a half years as Secretary of Defense under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, a tenure marked by two U.S. wars, U.S. military involvement in Libya, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and the killing of terrorist Osama bin Laden.

In total, Gates has served eight presidents in a number of leadership and advisory roles, including Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Deputy National Security Advisor. Gates was the only Secretary of Defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in that office by a newly elected President.

At a farewell ceremony for Gates, President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor, and called him, "A humble American patriot; a man of common sense and decency; quite simply, one of our nation's finest public servants."

“Beginning last year, our subscribers have expressed a great deal of interest in seeing Secretary Gates speak at The Richmond Forum,” explained the Executive Director of the non-profit speaker series, Bill Chapman. “We are very pleased to be able to include him in our series next season.”

Gates is the final speaker announcement for the 2011-2012 season of The Richmond Forum. Other speakers for the season include music industry legend Quincy Jones, ocean explorer Robert Ballard, conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer along with former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, and education experts Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith.

A small number of season subscriptions are still available for $155. Subscriptions are available through The Richmond Forum website or by calling (804) 330-3993.

The Richmond Forum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization. All programs are held at The Landmark Theater in Richmond, Virginia.