President Obama Makes a Gutsy Call and Stands by His Man...

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs - Tyranny



Unfortunately Chuck Hagel gave less than a stellar performance during his confirmation hearings.Therefore it is reasonable to expect many, especially in the rEbublican and neocon camp to have grave reservations with his nomination/confirmation. Taking a step back and reviewing his background and qualifications I find no reasons not to confirm. Perhaps reason will prevail in the Senate (unlikely) and Hagel will be confirmed.

POLITICO - President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have fiercely defended the nomination of Chuck Hagel, despite advisers and Hill Democrats who questioned the move and predicted a firestorm, according to Democratic sources.

That opinion was validated, at least for the moment, by events Thursday as Senate Republicans narrowly blocked cloture on Hagel’s nomination. Obama immediately slammed the filibuster — which could be broken after a 10-day congressional recess.

But an irked Obama is dead set on installing his pick at the Pentagon — even though the bitter battle over his confirmation is likely to leave lasting scars on his nominee at a time of looming military cuts and dangerous new developments in Iran and North Korea.

“We’ve never had a secretary of defense filibustered before … there are only a handful of instances in which there’s been any kind of filibuster of anybody,” the president said during a Google+ chat after the Senate vote.

“My expectation and hope is that Chuck Hagel … will be confirmed as our defense secretary,” he said. “It’s just unfortunate that this kind of politics intrudes at a time when I’m presiding over [a war in Afghanistan].

Senior White House officials predicted that a battered Hagel would manage to limp over the finish line and take the job of defense secretary later this month. But others pointed to the cost after weeks of absorbing criticism about his previous statements on Israel, his personal finances and unanswered questions about Obama’s personal response to the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya.

“It’s going to put him in a difficult position once he gets there,” said Bill Cohen, a former Republican senator from Maine who served as defense secretary under President Bill Clinton. “I’m sure there will be some lingering discontent on the part of some on the Hill. That, however, speaks to the process we’re talking about. ... [Read More}

Via: Memeorandum

Comments

  1. dmarksFri Feb 15, 09:31:00 PM EST

    I don't like him and think a better man could be found. But the Senata's duty is "advice and consent". Fillibustering is shirking the 2nd part of the duty. Vote against him if you must, but just go ahead and vote.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Les CarpenterSat Feb 16, 03:11:00 PM EST

      Agree completely, it is time to vote, stalling helps no one IMNHO.

      Delete
  2. TeresaFri Feb 15, 10:07:00 PM EST

    For some reason I thought that there was an up or down vote and Hagel missed confirmation by either one or two votes. But I guess I misread what kind of vote it was.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Will "take no prisoners" HartFri Feb 15, 11:45:00 PM EST

    I still take him over Rumsfeld and Cheney absolutely.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ConFire3Sat Feb 16, 12:53:00 PM EST

    Les,

    Is your distaste for the rEpublicans and such clouding your vision about Hagel? Not an accusation, sir, an honest inquiry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Les CarpenterSat Feb 16, 03:17:00 PM EST

      No, not at all. I simply believe the man is capable. However, I do acknowledge his performance during his confirmation hearing left room for people to doubt if he is actually up o the job. In other words it gave those who did not like his nomination further fuel.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousSat Feb 16, 02:01:00 PM EST

    Republicans are holding the vote on him hostage to getting some memo on Benghazi, which Hagel had nothing to do with. There is NO reason not to vote on him. Except maybe the ridiculous idea that Republicans are trying to find the "truth." Republicans are and have been for years now hurting America with their inaction to pass, or not pass legislation, or confirm judges and other posts. So by all means lets prosecute a war without a Secretary of Defense. Talk about putting America in harms way.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jersey McJonesSat Feb 16, 04:52:00 PM EST

    McCain summed up the opposition with the sort of bumbling honesty he's known for, when he said the opposition to Hagel was really just an old grudge pro-Iraq war, pro-Bush republican senators had with him.

    Everyone knows Hagel would win and up or down vote. McCain, Graham, and such are just scoring points with base. As for the loony idiot Cruz, he's just a loony idiot. Good ol' Tea Party. The Silly Party.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Les CarpenterSat Feb 16, 10:40:00 PM EST

      jmj, is it any more useful to speak in broad brush strokes about conservatives that it is for conservatives to speak in broad brush strokes about all liberals?

      Delete
  7. dmarksMon Feb 18, 09:09:00 AM EST

    Yes, RN, and it needs to be remembered that Democrats also like to play tricks when it turns out that the democratic process won't go there way. Like with the fillibuster, it is a form of being a sore loser before you have even lost.

    The worst example that comes to mind is the "paid massive amounts of state money, but too lazy to show up at the state house to vote" Democrats in Wisconsin, who took an impromptu vacation and loafed around awhile rather than cast losing votes against Scott Walker's ultimately successful efforts to protect workers rights and improve the quality of government service.

    IF you believe in the democratic process, participate in it. Don't run away and loaf on a barstool; don't put up tricks to postpone the vote.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousTue Feb 19, 02:55:00 PM EST

      Like the Republicans that fled Texas? That's where the Democrats got the idea.

      Delete

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