Former Protection Secretary Robert Gates joined Jon Stewart Wednesday evening for a wide-ranging dialogue on his time within the Obama administration, the militia, and the backlog at the Division of Veterans Affairs. And Stewart kicked issues off with a somewhat blunt assessment of how Gates’ new book has been received: “individuals are very angry at you.”

Gates lamented how politicians and the media are “cherry-selecting” rates from his ebook to bolster their particular person political arguments about the Obama and Bush administrations. He also took some shots at Congress, pronouncing they’re drawn to the shining crimson lights of reports cameras like the “full moon to werewolves.”

Gates talked about the weighty choices of sending American soldiers into struggle and said it’s vital to be “careful” and “prepared to admit that we don’t be aware unintended consequences.”

One issue Stewart wished to bring up was once the backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and asked, “Why will we mobilize so quick and so neatly for intervention but now not for backlogs of forms?” Gates agreed it’s a ridiculous forms that’s onerous to control. He advised Stewart that one thing that he’s discovered solves problems is firing individuals who aren’t doing their jobs, as a result of “the unwillingness to carry folks in charge for efficiency” is a problem in Washington.

Watch the video below, by way of Comedy Crucial:

[photograph via screengrab]

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Observe Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac