May 21, 2009 Gates mix-up: Obama flubs defense chief's name Play video

(NECN: Washington, D.C.) - President Barack Obama, preparing to give a speech on Bush administration interrogation techniques and the prospective closure of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, took a moment to share the names of the members of his cabinet that were in attendance. Except he got one wrong.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates was in the crowd, but President Obama said that "William Gates" was on hand. Was that William Gates, as in the Microsoft billionaire?

On Tuesday, Gates was introduced at a Pentagon ceremony as Ronald Gates.

At the time, Gates joked that he had recently been introduced as Bill Gates. "He's the rich one," Gates cracked.

Material from The Associated Press used in this report.

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