he is retiring after serving 12 his pose. t chick out this september 4, 2001. this is 55 minutes. -- after serving 12 years on his post. this is 55 minutes. [no audio]

>> if you remain standing, the ♪resentation of the colors. ♪

♪

>> good morning. welcome to the celebration of the career of robert mueller, there are far too many alumni and other dignitaries present for me to point out by name, but you have the opportunity to talk to old friends after this event at the reception in the attorney general's suite. there is one person with us today who am compelled to recognize. the brains, charm, charisma and class of the mohler family -- mueller family. his wife, ann. [applause]

she is is better wife. [laughter] bob mueller has spent his entire career in public service, with only a brief interim since the 1960 one he was a decorated marine for his service in vietnam. he has served in three cities of the united states attorney into districts, as the assistant attorney general for the criminal division, the deck but he attorney general, and most recently the director of the fbi. as he departs justice for the last time, hopefully, he will have held every position save

attorney general. one has to wonder whether this time he is really living -- leaving for good. in this same hall, and generate 1993, we thought we were rid of him for good. there is no sense in warning today about what might happen tomorrow. george tenet as the director of central intelligence from 19 97, to 2004 per the second longest serving director in agency history. that role, he had the opportunity to work with bob in the three years immediately following 9/11. [applause] >> good morning. it is a great honor for me to be here today to speak about a great public servant, and my

friend, bob mueller. one of the important things to know about him is that he is and always will be a united states marine. service to this country has been his life. on seven occasions, he has sworn to protect and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies foreign and domestic. what that has meant for him always is a devotion to duty. to the men and women he has served with, and led. to upholding the law, to speaking bluntly and directly, and as a second lieutenant in vietnam, to putting his life on the line. he won a bronze star and a purple heart. his bronze star citation and

part read he moved fearlessly am a with complete disregard for his own safety, and personally led a fire team to recover and mortally wounded marine would fall in any position forward of friendly and liens -- of friendly alliance. he has never changed. his life has been defined by trust, discipline, and honor. now, when i first met bob mueller and the summer of 2001, it was a bit daunting, like the clash of civilizations. the scene would be cast as a man from philly, princeton, high protestant, with a locked jaw, blue blazer, khaki pants, penny loafers, maybe a little old spice to boot. [laughter]

first generation greek diner kid from queens, and would never play golf. very soon after 9/11. a special relation was born that allowed organizations to work with a common spirit that has continued to grow to this day. a special lifelong friendship was born that allowed us to help each other in thousands of different and unspoken ways, the illustrated to all of our colleagues the importance of working together. it was easy because you could trust bob mueller with your life. you would want him back to back with you in the trench, whether facing al qaeda, or the cords inside the beltway who would routinely come out of the hills to survey the wounded. [laughter] everybody who i served knows what i'm talking about. [laughter] i'm going to tell the story

about how much bob and i love testifying together. mr. attorney general, i know you love testifying. bob had a unique way of doing this. the first way i testified with him, he sat there like a choir boy and never moved. i said, you have to where -- you have to promote. >> i have been trained as a prosecutor, i'm not allowed to show emotion. we would sit next to each other, and you know how you before testifying, witnesses cup their hands. everyone thinks we are saying something profound to each other. bob and i would be in the middle of a testimony, and i look up my hands and say something to him like, bob, is not the dumbest question ever heard in your life? shut up. here comes, bob. swim, bobby, swim. shut up. [laughter]

are you really going to take that from this guy? yes senator, i am not worthy. [laughter] this man entrance from the fbi and help keep our country safe. he has reached out to communities across the country, particularly those from other lands, to understand their problems, to build bridges, to inspire common values, and to shape their perception of law enforcement in a truly unique american context. if your son or daughter wanted to be a public servant, they need to look no further than bob mueller to learn how to do it honorably, with old-school values, that will always end your -- endure. his love and affection for his family is obvious. for all these years of service,

his ace in the hole has been his college sweetheart. her devotion and sacrifice, her love and commitment to bob and their family has allowed us to enjoy the benefits of their joint service to our country. your smile, your warmth, and your care for the men and women on the app the i -- the men and women of the fbi have been magnificent to behold, and as good as bob is, you're even better. thank you on behalf of my family, and on behalf of intelligence officers for what you have done. for your friendship, and behalf of all of your friends. we desperately hope that you can finally find a job. [laughter] [applause]

>> thank you. over the past several months, a great number of people have asked me what bob land to do when the inevitable day came when he left the bureau. until this day, i have reflected the question. i am now authorized to announce that bob has been offered and accepted his dream job, which will start shortly after labor day, a job he was born for, and has spent his life preparing for. drill instructor at ferris island. [laughter] he is smiling for once. after a successful career in a number of positions at the fbi, john served as bob's right-hand from 2004-2010.

in 2010, the president appointed john as administrator of gsa, a position he holds to this day. john has agreed to field questions from frustrated travelers in the audience. [laughter] at the back of the hall, the conclusion of this event. [applause] >> the privileges and opportunities of being a tsa administrator. thank you. let me say a few words about bob. some traits, if you will. the first thing that comes to mind for most of us is a leader. a man of character. integrity. a distinguished and dedicated public servant. humble, principled pragmatist, an innovator and motivator.

a few words about those few words. under director mueller, he directed and implemented what is arguably the most significant change in the fbi's history. some a debate what is been the most significant. i was suggest what has happened in the last full of years. we all remember the in my five debates, whether the fbi in that post 9/11 world could handle the traditional law enforcement responsibilities that it was known for, and also collect intelligence, and share that. it is because of george and his cooperation, collaboration with reports officers, which became the baseline for the director of intelligence, that allow the fbi to continue that transformation. in addition to all of the

pundits and critics, we have the official inquiries, the wmd commissions, the advisory boards forming, his own directors advisory board, giving suggestions, advice, input, as to what the fbi needed to do. then our experts, something new with a were talking about, and most of the others who are also giving their views to bob mueller. during this time, he adeptly and successfully navigated to all the different and competing views on who the fbi should be, and how they should carry out their mission. it is because of that they fbi today is able to serve a vital national security mission.

i mentioned he is humble. in spite of his significant compliments, a few you have heard this morning, many which are not known and probably will never be known because of this ability, he has never been one to seek out the limelight. he is quick to give others credits, and mentor others such as myself. i think, without our reporters, there is not a single reporter on bob mueller's speed out. we could check that to make sure. that may give one example of all the traits that i have mentioned. one of his favorite agencies, the office of inspector general, gave a critical report of on the fbi's use of national security measures. procedures and protocols, the things we are having today. bob decided to hold a press conference at headquarters.

the last 12 years, how many press conferences did he hold at headquarters? we have tables set up in a u shape. reporters jammed in there because they saw possible blood in the water. the director and the deputy director were seated at the end. the notion must have everyone see it because that would keep everyone at ease. he says, you may ask who is responsible for this, and who is accountable. without missing a beat, he turned to me and said the deputy director is. [laughter] that may be a slight variation of facts.

being the principal leader that he has, he says i'm responsible, and i'm going to fix this. that part about fixing, he was a motivator. that is when the motivator part of bob mueller came in, kicked in, and i do mean kicked in. we did get it fixed. as long as we are talking inside baseball, there is a phrase that is well known on the seventh floor at headquarters that has been uttered a few times in the last 12 years. deputy handle, needing to know how to delegate. that is something that happens from time to time. i thank you for those lessons, bob. i have learned the benefits of

doing that. a couple of brief points to wrap up. as bob and ann leave service, and you start traveling without your security, there are a couple of words you need to know that will be important to you. that is tsa precheck. trust me on this. [laughter] finally, on behalf of all the men and women of the fbi would've had the privilege and honor of serving with mr. director bob mueller these last 12 years, let me express a profound appreciation and gratitude for what you have done in guiding the bureau three tumultuous time, with integrity and distinction, and just to say thanks, is one of your deputy directors, for encouraging me and teaching me lessons in

leadership, for which i've had the opportunity to use. now, as you went -- as you go into the next chapter of your life, best wishes, and godspeed in all you do. [applause] >> thank you, john. i think that to brief anecdotes are eliminating about this attorney general, and director mueller. one day in the mid-1990's, not long after he left the position of it -- deputy attorney general, he called me and advised the u.s. attorney eric holder had offered him the position of senior litigation in the homicide unit of the u.s. attorney's office in d.c.

bob wanted to take the job, but he recognize he been a political appointee of the immediately previous it ministration, and did not want to accept this position in the career service that would cause any discomfort. they asked me to run the traps. when i brought the question to the deputy attorney, she said with her customary subtlety intact, that is a no-brainer. everyone knows that he is an outstanding prosecutor, and derek is fortunate to get him. when i asked why he wanted this job, let's say private practice, not a prestigious a title as assistant attorney general, he replied that he wanted to give something back to the community, and this was the best way he

knew how to do a couple of years later, i was looking for an outstanding candidate to serve as interim united state's attorney in san francisco after a sudden vacancy. i was a dead-end -- at a dead- end. i advise eric holder of my failure. he said to call mueller. the rest is history. he did such a good job that president clinton appointed him to that position. in perilous times, when this department find the necessary to go to the mattresses, there is no one i would rather have at my side them bob mueller, except jim coming -- jim comey. [laughter] i admire him. i respect him. as much as i hate to admit it, i

do love the guy. bob, from one loss to another [indiscernible] give me a moment to collect my thoughts. i'm not used to complementing the director. [laughter] one of the perks of spending almost a half-century in this department is the opportunity to watch a brawl, talented honor grad advance to a department leader. jim is a perfect example. he handles his assignments and 70 attorney general, and the most challenging times, effectively, with grace, and never losing his marvelous inch -- marvelous sense of humor. the deputy attorney general of the united states. [applause]

>> thank you. a lot of things are similar about bob today. he has touched so many people, in much of the same way. 30irst met him more than years ago. he was an asu in boston. i was a young lawyer andi come up to to help on a case. i met bob. he was one of the most seasoned prosecutors they had the office. when i met him, the words that came to mind were talented, smart, respected. as they looked at him, i realized when i grow up as a prosecutor, i want to be like bob. i want to be that kind of prosecutor. several years later, he came to

maine justice. at this time,i was the deputy chief of the public integrity section, and in the privilege of working with bob on frequent occasions. -- member when dealing with i remember when dealing with him, particularly sensitive cases, the words that came to mind then were leadership and support. bob would not only go out of his way to make sure you had everything you needed, and the resources you needed to be successful in a case, but there is on experiences, he would talk through with you the intricacies of the case. inevitably, you end up with tremendous value of being added from those encounters. as we all know, we have heard several times today, bob left his position as the assistant attorney general for private practice for 20 minutes. he didn't extraordinary thing.

he did an action ordinary thing. -- he did an extraordinary thing. he returned to the apartment -- department doing homicide cases. d.c. was going through a rough time of increased murders at this time. bob wanted to help. as i saw this, the words that came to mind were humility. dedication and sacrifice. he sought public service that had to be done, and he did it. without fanfare, without glory, without any reward. wasust did it because it the right thing to do. bobi was asked to go to san francisco and take over to put it back in shape. he probably did not want to leave the scene, but he did it. d.c, but he did it.

the words that came to mind were team player and leader. he restore that office, and to this day, they still talk about him as the best united states attorney they've ever had. since bob became the director of the fbi, i have both followed his work from afar, and had the privilege of working -- him for almost three years now as he is transformed this agency in the wake of 9/11 into the most effective counterterrorism and law enforcement agency on the face of the earth. working with him every day, the words that come to mind are politically astute, why is, -- wise, dedicated to the rule of law. all necessary attributes you need to have to work your way through the vast array of unimaginable issues that confront us every day. so, here we are trying to sum up the career of a man who has had all these roles, and done

that in an exemplary way. he has displayed the kind of character we all want to emulate. who has given virtually his entire career to his country, and has done in a way that has served as an example to the world is what we stand for as a nation. when i put that together, the word that comes to mind best to describe bob is patriot. bob, thank you, not only for what you have done for the department of justice, and for the nation, but thank you for all have gained from having had the privilege of getting to work with you over so many years. i wish you well, my friend. [applause]

>> the only thing better than getting to work with bob mueller is getting the opportunity to work with bob mueller and eric holder. both are public servants in the same mold. getting it right, the rule of law, and ethics mean everything. this is the kind of department that the two of them together have established. it is my honor to present to you the attorney general of the united states. [applause] >>, thank you. good morning. thank you for those kind words. thank you all for being here. it is an honor to be with you all this morning. a privilege to welcome bob's wife and their family. as anyone who knows bob can tell you, his passion for his work is exceeded only by his dedication to his family. it is great to have all of you here with us, including the little one who took a detour.

ournt to welcome distinguished guests, too numerous to mention. a former attorneys general, heads of the fbi, members of congress. we have the head of the cia. it is great to have y'all here with us. the current officials here, i think is an indication of the esteem in which bob is held. i want to thank you all for taking the time to be here with us today. i like to think david for being an incomparable master of sir monies. take i would like to st. david for being an incomparable master of ceremonies. he was supposed to give a sign to the color guard to start the event. [laughter] we always have to cover for him. [laughter] he is out of here.

[laughter] normally, this is where i might say it is a pleasure to join you all for this important event. all --this is a mama we i know this is a moment we all have been dreading for quite some time. the day we have to try and do our jobs without bob mueller. nevertheless, i appreciate this chance to to stand with a distinguished group, celebrating his contribution of protecting our fellow citizens from crime, ensuring now so security, and transforming the fbi into the dynamic organization it is today. as you have heard, his service to our nation began long before he became one of the top law- enforcement officials in the country. before he served as deputy attorney general, or assistant for the criminal division. before he assumed his post for the northern district of california.

his patriotism and dedication to service have defined and distinguished just about his entire life, beginning with the mama he graduated from college -- decided to join the nine the united states marine corps. as the officer, he was entrusted to lead a rifle platoon. a legendary division in vietnam. for his exemplary conduct, he was awarded the bronze star, navy commendation medals, the purple heart, and the vietnamese cross for gallantry. he was praised by his superiors for his courage, his aggressive initiative, and has unwavering devotion to duty. as anyone who has had the privilege of working with bob will tell you, these qualities from -- have remained his hallmark since then. i know there is no such thing as a former marine. even after he left the court and became a litigator, his

passion for public service drew him back to the federal government as a prosecutor. over the next two decades, he held a variety of positions. he excelled in every role of high profile and prosecutions, from organized crimes and fraud cases to the infamous -- lockerbie bombing, to the prosecution of [indiscernible] noriega. his judgment, his humility, and his natural sense of leadership were on constant display. i think the single best illustration of his sense of duty and passion for public service came after he left the justice department in the mid- 1990's. that was after he accepted a prestigious job in private practice. this is supposed be my store. everyone has talked about it.

i'm going to say to get anyway. at that time, i was serving as the united states attorney for the district of columbia. he had been working in a white- collar crime litigation firm for a couple of years. --called me one day and said bob mueller isid on the phone. he asked if i could use a homicide prosecutor in my office. i was thinking, sure. bob said he was talking about himself. i reminded himhe had a great job. there was no way i would be able to match his current salary. having already served as assistant attorney general for the criminal division, he might be overqualified for a job as a line prosecutor. before he could change his mind, i just said, when can you start? for i knew it, he was hard at work with litigators, heading to crime scenes, and developing relations with the people of the city. chiefng after, he became

of the homicide section. much to everyone's annoyance, he called early morning meetings even after he and everyone else had pulled late nights at the office. our city was in distress. we were called the murder capital of the united states. his work literally helped to save lives, and make better the lives of people who were too often unseen or forgotten. he was there to make a difference. he did. he was determined not to get back on the other side of the courtroom, but to serve the peopf us safer, and to represent the interests of the people of the united states. it was no surprise win in 1998, clinton appointed him to serve as the u.s. attorney for the northern district of california. he did a great job. president bush nominated him to become fbi director, a position to which he was unanimously confirmed in 2001.

the rest is history. like many of you, i cannot imagine the bureau or the justice department, or my professional life without bob. since i took office as attorney general in 2009, he and i have started every day together, briefed about the most serious threats about the united states and american citizens around the world. let me assure you, as much as i like this guy, this is not a fun way to start your day. there is no question that the american people are safer cousin -- because bob mueller has been in those meetings every day for the past 12 years. during his time as director, bob has served as a key advisor to two presidents, and indispensable partner to me. in the years since september 11, which occurred one week into his tenure, he is led out in less than a large-scale and historic transformation of the bureau.

he is adjusted its capabilities, redefining it as an intelligence agency, and led efforts to forge and investigate the most serious terrorist plots our nation has faced since 9/11. wong the way, he has one -- the respect and admiration of his colleagues. brave men and women who have served in washington, and across the country, and around the world. he has fostered a culture of unsurpassed excellence at every level of the bureau, ensuring every agent, technician, every support professional is dedicated to an incredible effort of combating crime. --has said the standard for what itstandard for means to be the director of the fbi, position the bureau to be the dealing with the 21st entry threat it has to confront without losing sight of missions. that is why when his 10 year term, president obama took the step to ask the senate to ask

dented by two full years. years.nd it by two that is why the senate unanimously approved that request. that is why i regret i never will to convince bob to stick around for another two years, or maybe another 12. i'm confident he will leave this nation not only safer, but more prepared than he found it. bob, as you open an exciting new chapter in your life, and take a well-deserved vacation, i wish you nothing but the best. i thank you bob for your leadership, fear your service, -- for your service, and most of all for your friendship. on behalf of the nation, i want to thank you ann, for your sacrifice of these many years. standing with this great man has been a truly great woman. i know i speak for president obama, and everyone in this hall today, and many others beyond it when i say that while

we are confident that jim comey will be a right director, all of -- will be a superb director and uphold the standards of excellence, all of us will miss you a great deal. your example, and your tireless dedication will inspire us for many years to come. wherever your career may lead you, you should know that you are, and always will be an essential part of the justice department family. you will be a dear friend. for he takes the podium, i would like to make a special presentation. general,the highest award i can bestow within the justice department is the attorney general's award for exceptional service. presented only once each year. today, in recognition of bob mueller's leadership of the fbi, his contributions over the course of his career, and his exemplary service to the american people, it is my privilege to present him with this year's exceptional service

award. [applause] because of sequestration, he gets to hold on to it, but i take it back. [laughter] there is only one of these per year. [laughter] it is now my pleasure to introduce the director of the federal bureau of investigation, mr. robert mueller. [applause] >> thank you.

[applause] thank you. we had to get out of here. thank you. thank you. thank you, speakers, for the hyperbole. it is a pleasure to hear that. each of you will be happy to know that my farewell speech will be half as long as the farewell speech by george tenet when he left the agency. [laughter] i have to tell you what an honor it is to see so many friends, colleagues, relationships that span a decade. thank you to the general for hosting the event and for the speakers and the kind words. as i look around the room i see individuals whose good judgment and wise counsel made a huge difference to me personally and professionally, whether it be from the u.s. attorneys offices in boston, san francisco,

washington, to my colleagues here at the department of justice, past and present, and law enforcement partners across the country and counterparts in the intelligence community, to the men and women of the fbi. i will say, george, i was appreciative of your comments --ut testifying, that i will but i will tell you that george has a selective memory. [laughter] it is true that george would complain bitterly about the tenor of some of the questions and try to get me to smile, where i would point out to george that he was the architect of similar questions, one of those carrying the banner when he was with the staff director of the senate committee on intelligence, and we had to appear before the committee. [laughter] all right.

i always say i have been blessed with three families -- my own family, my marine corps family, in my justice and fbi family. first and foremost, i have been blessed with my family -- my wife and, two daughters, cynthia and melissa, and their families, now, and i will tell you that many of us work long spend time away from our families reluctantly, but out of necessity and our spouses and significant others carry the lion's share of the burden on the homefront. i will say that the absence from home might be seen on occasion from some in the family as a plus, and i'm reminded of one of my favorite stories that comes from a police officer that was a graduation speaker at one of the classes of the national academy. thethose not aware, national academy program provides training to state and

local law enforcement officers at the quantico facility over 10 weeks, and as this story was related, sometime after the officer graduated, he was reminiscing about the good times at quantico, and he said the weeks he spent at the were the best-- 10 weeks of his life. his teenage daughter looked at him and said to be perfectly honest, they were the best 10 weeks of my life, too. [laughter] 100st have told that story times. [laughter] regardless, i want to say thank you to my wife ann and my daughters for their understanding. i could not answer without their -- i could not have served in these positions without their support. i am also blessed being part of the marine corps family, who taught valued service, of service, sacrifice, discipline, leadership, teamwork and integrity -- lessons i could not have learned in quite the same way elsewhere, and lessons i have tried to carry with me

throughout life. lastly, i have been blessed with my justice and fbi family. haves been pointed out, i spent the better part of my career, and i would say the best part of my career with the department of justice and the fbi. i have been fortunate to work with old friends and new colleagues alike -- individuals of honesty and integrity. this includes on the one hand, margolis, better known to all of you as methuselah. [laughter] and on the other hand, my executive assistant, wanda, known to many of you, who have -- has been said, perhaps accurately so, to be the one that runs the bureau, particularly because of her common sense, organizational skills, and i might add, her intimidation factor. [laughter]

all of us that no one do, please -- all of you that know wanda, please say thank you for her years of service. [applause] i have always been proud to say that i work for the department of justice because of that for which it stands, which is an unyielding commitment to the rule of law and to the safety and the security of the citizens that we serve. i have also been honored to work with the individuals who have given the justice department's its legacy and lasting impact. over the years, many of you have worked hard to advise me, and most particularly to ensure that i cap things into perspective. perspective.s in lee roles comes to mind when i discussed this issue, and many may have heard this story before but it bears repeating. lee was a college classmate of mine and a longtime department of justice probably known to --

many of you --to he was my former chief of staff who passed away two years ago and he is missed by many of us in this room today, but he does exemplify what the department is like. lee knew how to cut through the nonsense and get to the heart of the matter better than anyone and he also knew how to put me in my place. i remember when heated meeting everyone was frustrated, mostly with me, and i might have been a wee bit ill tempered. wanda is laughing. posedt silently and then the following question out of the blue -- "what is the difference between the director of the fbi and a four-year-old child?" the room grew hushed, and finally he said "height." [laughter] i have seen professionalism and

sacrifices made by those in law enforcement. some are on the darkest days when we used -- lose agency -- agents in the line of duty, reminding us of the great danger that our agents, officers and deputies willingly assume. it has been my privilege to work with so many dedicated and talented public servants -- men and women who give everything in their power to keep the american people safe on the men and women for whom the law is the guiding principle. let me close by saying that the guidance i have been given in the marine corps, and at the department of justice and the fbi are gifts that i have not anticipated, and for which i will be forever grateful. i have loved serving in each of these organizations. while it is difficult to leave this family, i leave knowing

the work will continue under the leadership of individuals in the department of justice and the fbi are like, when body the -- who embody the fbi's motto of fidelity, bravery and integrity in the truest and best sense of those words. thank you. [applause] [applause]

[applause] >> thank you to glenn and his team for putting this program together. they did a splendid job. that concludes our program and we will see you all upstairs. thank you forthcoming. -- thank you for coming. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] [captioning performed by national captioning institute]

and turning to some international events now. on friday, the state department issued a global travel alert because of threats by al qaeda and its allies. 21as