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I'm Bob Garfield.

And I'm Brooke Gladstone.

Should we believe you or the president on the critical issue whether the

administration is really willing to make a change in its policy? That was Massachusetts Senator

Ted Kennedy at Tuesday's confirmation hearing of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. With Gates

now confirmed and the release of the much anticipatedanticipated report of the Iraq study group,

one question resounds through the media. What will the president decide? Because make no mistake,

it's become increasingly clear that he is the decider. Here's Gates in his opening statement.

I will give most serious consideration to the views of those who lead our men and women in uniform.

Of course, it is the president who will decide what, if any, changes are made in our approach.

I'm inspired by doing this job.

I believe strongly in the decisions I have made.

That was the president with Fox News Channel's Brit Hume on Monday.

Time was.

The media narrative on President Bush was that he really didn't make his own decisions.

...