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Subscribe to RSSMultiple sources on Capitol Hill and in key special-interest groups involved in national security issues say they have been told to be prepared for a Chuck Hagel nomination for Defense Secretary, either as early as Monday or perhaps more likely Tuesday of next week.
Related: Former Sen. Chuck Hagel apologizes for gay comment
While it's still possible for the president to have a change of heart, all signs are pointing to a Hagel nomination.
When President Barack Obama returns to Washington this weekend, he will still have two big cabinet posts to fill and the current favorite for Secretary of Defense – Chuck Hagel – is taking heat on a range of issues. Obama 2012 traveling press secretary Jen Pskai and former RNC Chairman Michael Steele discuss.
That said, a White House spokesperson tells NBC News pretty emphatically that the president has not made a final decision and does not expect the president to make a final decision until he gets back from Hawaii.
The White House spokesperson adds, the "chatter" about Hagel-as-the-pick in the national-security and Capitol Hill communities is "premature." That said this spokesperson acknowledged Hagel is a "leading contender."
For what it's worth, the reason a lot of outside sources are being given a heads up on Hagel is that the White House knows if Hagel is indeed the president's choice, it's going to be a real fight.
President Obama responds to criticism of Chuck Hagel as a potential replacement for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
Hagel's 2008 statement that "the Jewish lobby" intimidates many lawmakers has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle, and some have painted him as weak on defense issues. Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York, a top-ranking Jewish senator, passed on the opportunity to offer an endorsement for Hagel during an appearance on Meet the Press, while Republican Sen. John Cornyn called his positions on Iran and nuclear weapons "unacceptable."
Hagel also recently apologized for his 1998 opposition to an ambassadorial nominee whom he described as "openly, aggressively gay."
There are as many as 10 Democratic senators who could vote no, Capitol Hill sources say. But Hagel has some big backers besides the president who would become the key point people in getting Hagel over the finish line – Vice President Joe Biden and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, both of whom are huge proponents of Hagel.
Asked on MSNBC’s Morning Joe about the opposition to Hagel, Obama political adviser David Axelrod defended the former Republican Nebraska senator.
“It speaks to the larger problem that we’re talking about, which is, we have to get the point, where, first of all, independence is admired and not discouraged, and we can disagree on some things and still work together on others,” Axelrod said. “And the notion that we demonize people because of a position that they’ve taken and disqualify them on that basis is what’s destroying the ability to get things done in this town.”
Dave Kaup / Reuters
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) leaves a news conference in Omaha, Nebraska in this March 12, 2007, file photo.
Bottom line: It appears to be Hagel, but the White House says no final decision has been made.
News of the expected nomination was first reported by Foreign Policy magazine's The Cable blog.
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Is it just me or is there a pattern here? Read between the lines.
i don't care...I'm a Democrat and as long he can do the job shouldn't matter his party...we are one country and all Americans...we should be working together...
Irrelevant. The WH will do whatever the f*ck the WH wants to do because Congress and the American citizens as well as the Constitution are completely irrelevant.
How fitting President Obama is nominating him ...It's like to peas in a pod
Seeking Sanity: Really? BOY! Have YOU been drinking the Kool Aid!
There have been MORE MINORITIES and WOMEN put into leadership positions in Republican administrations by far than in Democratic administrations. So...to say that Republican administrations "have no use for women" just shows your utter ignorance. Take a peek at the White House staff committee photo published today and see if you can see any women in the room? We are entering Obama's second term now. He's had 4 years. Why aren't women in his administration being paid the same as the men? Isn't he the great equalizer?
You're just another liberal putz with an overactive keyboard, a monthly disability check and no sense of reality.
The only use Democrats have for women...is on their knees in the Oval Office!
First of all the difference in womens pay doesn't exist in governmeent, they get paid what the job pays. The problem is in the civilian sector doesn't want to pay a woman the same rate as a man for the same job. What part of this are you having problems with?
the fact that female staff in the white house are paid 18% less than males.So far in America that's as far asobama can push sharia law.
Can anyone tell me why a PROVEN spy agency (AIPAC) AGAINST the US should have ANY say in who is appointed to a US Government Office?
Also who cares what the "jewish" community thinks about this! They only consists of 2% of the US Polulation anyway! Hell because of them we even have a US Kosher Tax!
And when is it wrong for a US Government Official to take the side of what's best for the US over the ILLEGAL "state of israel" who has caused the US harm NUMEROUS times?
Anyone remember the false intel about Iraq's WMD, The Lavon Affair, The DELIBERATE Attack on The USS Liberty, the AIPAC spy case, the Jonathan Pollard spy case, or the stealing of US Nuclear Triggers by Nut-n-Yahoo, etc., etc., etc.?
Wake up people!
US Army Vet
Marc C. Daniele
You are so right about AIPAC.
Aren't Republicans supposed to favor the Pentagon more than just about anything else? That would make nominating a Republican make sense.
I find, reading some of the posts here on FR that some of our rwnj pals seem to want to carp no matter what happens. If Obama had nominated a Democrat they would have complained, whined, and made their usual silly statements as if true but, of course, aren't. So no matter what President Obama does they will piss and moan, gripe and complain, whine and lie. Pathetic aren't they?
When Hagel was NE senator and at the time Bush got elected and thereafter, I wrote him and delivered to his office letters every 2-3 months for several years. Talked to his staff most times.. that evil little @!$%# refused to respond to me; his staff eventually told me that.
There was a press interview and he stated that he answered all letters. Big surprise he's nominated by another evil bastard.
Wuotan......................this just in..........
A study group recently released its findings as to the best president of the
United States of America.
Obama has been rated as the 4th best president ever:
Reagan and 9 others tied for first, 15 presidents tied for second, 18 tied
for third, and Obama came in fourth.
Really, first you rate him as he hasn't completed his second term. How moot. Must be one of those Republican study groups. Second of all there are 33 better but they are all probably dead. Which leaves us with 9 other who weren't worth a crap. Standing as 4th rated out of 43 isn't a bad position. oh and I'm sure they did comparisons with the situations and problems of the days.
Of course the liberal study group rated Obama 4th best, they don't even know any other president other then Bush!
I was writing Bush and Hagel before that Bush election, then there was the meetings vp candidate Hagel. You got to hate it when they pursue deny-ability/cover-up communication with mage department, deception all the way.
Any guy who despises Jews and flaming queens is OK in Obama's book. We'd just like to see him out of Nebraska so I think he's a fine choice! ;-)
He retired from Government in 2009 so what moot point are you trying to make.
What do obama and al quaida have in common;they hate Israel,they denigrate women,and they PUBLICALLY hate and denigrate homosexuality,while secretly practicing it.Methinks a link here.
So the NeoLibs like this guy because he voted against the wars. That is the guy I want as SECDEF!! A guy who thought Sept 11th doesn't require any accountability from the perpetrators. I can see what the Dummycrats like about this guy. He is just like them. A little hug therapy would help those terrorists learn to behave better. Just like free rent, food, and medical care will inspire those lazy Welfare Bums to get a job.
obama and his group of liars, another liar another embarasment to the united states. This liar needs to go down in defeat. united states under obama is doomed. another 4 years of lies, deciebt, and lets get nowhere because he is a total loser. his views on isreal alone is enough to start world war three, obama is working hard to set that stage, the idiots that elected him are too dumb to understand it.
Just like the dumb asses that elected Bush and got us into a stupid war in Iraq that cost 4500 young Americans their lives and Trillions of dollars. Yep, RL19, you are a regular Right Wing Genius. I am sure you are the leader of your local Tea Bag group. Well guess what Genius, Obama kicked the asses of all you "super smart" guys 2 months ago. Before you start calling someone else a dumbass, maybe the dumbasses on your side need to learn to read the Polls correctly. Romney in a landslide huh?
there is that central Africa boiler room... if you don't know what that is look at Nigerian scams preying on old people (hang up on them is going advise). This president same thing. The hideous face of Fascism, got to hate it!
eddie dumb ass dumocrat liar, the word you are looking for is dumbocrat, yes liars all of them if that war that bush started your liar obama seems to still love 4 years later, because we are still there so go blow your horn somewhere else liar.
RL19, if you weren't riding the "short bus" everywhere you had to go, I'd have an educated conversation with you but that is outside the realm of possibility with your dumb Tea Bagger ass. We are NOT still fighting in Iraq you backwards ass, uninformed doofus!
lol....you need to be informed but then again to much msnbc for you.
Good. call the GOP on their BS! Don't let them decide who is going to be your choice to run the Pentagon. McCain is still mad because you kicked his ass good in 2008 so pay that grumpy old man no mind and Ashley Graham, I mean Lindsay Graham, who cares what he thinks. Do not let the Right dictate who you choose.
The far right wing doesn't like moderate Republicans. Tea party extremist call them liberal. If Hagel won the party nominee for President I would vote for him but he could never be nominated by Republicans. Today's Republicans would not support Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford or Dwight Eisenhower, Tea Baggers would call them liberals.
ur dumb
No dumber than you RL19. I have seen a few of your post and you act & write like a 5 year old. Love this Country is right, you wing nuts on the Right have gone so far right that the Presidents he listed in his post would not be welcomed in today's GOP & would be called RINOS. I couldn't stand Reagan because it was his Administration that started this great transfer of the Nations wealth to the Rich 2% at the expense of everybody else but at least Senile Ronnie had some idea about governing. Not the Tea Baggers who are as dumb as a bag of rocks.
It looks like another gigantic fail by the president. The Democratic War on women goes like this: float the name of a woman but nominate/appoint the guy. This nomination should have gone to the very very qualified Michele Flournoy:
First I thought you were Trolling. you understand how these blogs are, sorry. I checked up on her, She does have some impressive credentials.
Great American..Naturally, the Ditto Heads and the Hooter's Fox Network will chastise Obama and Hagel.
Since when does a potential cabinet member - or, for that matter, anyone wishing to serve in government - have to kiss the pink behinds of the Gays? "Apologizing" because a flamer was hitting on other men? Whatsa matter, Gay rights advocates, don't you like some of your more "extreme" practices brought out on the open? Hypocrites.
A Gay Ambassador has limitations on where you can send them. There are someplaces, like the Middle East, That take it as an insult to send a gay Ambassador. It is bad enough when we send women Ambassadors as they don't take them seriously. I don't have anything against a gay person but this is the way I'm looking at it.
Let's be honest, incompetence is a prequalification for being in the Obama administration, that and a Marxist. Hagel and the ex gov of Utah are just plain backstabbing turncoats as is fatso the Gov of NJ! more RINO's. the more you see them up close the more you get sick. Susan Rice was stupid and a patsy, this guy is a puppet, the others are communists. Biteme is retarded.
buffalo, you better double up on your meds and get some help fast, you've got major problems. But then, if your a member of the tea party I suppose we can understand your rants and stupid comments.
yeah, Dave! that is why many of Obama's czar's resigned for being members of the communist party! too bad your head is too far up his arse. like the smell?
Maybe your third grade teacher will teach you someday how to debate without the name calling and childish comments.
It takes a low grade education approach to reach a low(information) grade educated person! you are obviously a public school graduate, likely not much beyond 8th grade. Do you have a job, not in the government? doubtful.
OK Buffalo, we all where you are coming from. So why don't you just curl up and get back under the rock that you came from. Insulting people will not solve anything, and yes I just did that to you. Why, because you seem to take pleasure in doing it to others and I thought you might know what it feels like. In particular when the person you are insulting can not defend themselves.
Your right, I don't have a job. I started a business 40 years ago and turned it over to my son this past September, now collecting my social security and have several trips and a cruise planned for later this year. Maybe someday if you get off of welfare and get a job, you might be able to do the same.
I certainly hope your son can save what's left of that business while you get your s.s. check and cruise around the reflecting pool.
The business is doing fine, he just hired another employee, and yes, I'm going to enjoy by trips and my cruise thank you.
Buffalo, you missed your time. The McCarthy era was in the 50's. The days of you Archie Bunker types is over. Go back down in your Cold War era Bunker and wait for the next big thing to happen so you can come out of your hole and "enlighten" us with your crackpot BS!
The Right is so concerned about spending, good, lets work on spending by putting in a Defense Secretary that will cut that outrageous Defense Budget which is sucking up all the money. Instead of @!$%#ing over Granny, the Disabled and the Poor, lets stop building war materials & defense programs the Generals & Admirals don't even want. Want to cut the deficit, good, lets get the first payment out of the Defense Contractors.
no matter who the president picks this son of bithes will pick a fight ...only to make things hard on the president lets see who they are and when votting comes around lets kick them in the ass an get them out of office.
This is going to be the mnost exciting nomination in history. The house is so divided it is in five parts. The progressive moderate republicans, the tea party far right, the christian faction far right, the democrats who group together and the liberals. If Boehner thought he had his hands full he has not seen anything yet. The republicans will come out looking even more crazy than they already look when they cannibalize their own fellow republican at the alter. Obama is briallant. Not only did he pick a very qualified candidate if he goes with Hagel but he picked a moderate Republican who will be trashed by half the Republicans in the house making them look crazier
House doesn't vote on Presidential nominees. What they think of Hagel doesn't matter.
The Republicans will be tearing down their own as they resist this nomination but he will be appointed and will appropriately downsize the military which is long overdue. The Israel lobby should not even enter into this discussion.
There is a little concern regarding his past comment against the ambassador [indicating not so latent homophobia], but a Secretary of Defense who is capable of taking a rational and more balanced approach to Israel is very much needed. His comment about the Israeli Lobby could also be said about the NRA and the Grover Norquist Cult. The Lobby folks believe they can bully and intimidate, and they often get away with it.
There is no question that the US will back Israel when it is legitimately threatened. However, it is time to make clear that Netanyahu cannot just pick fights and threaten war and expect the US to blindly support his irrational behavior. Lack of accountability has been a factor in promoting violence and stalling peace negotiations in that region. The Palestinian militants have no incentive to moderate when Israel can kill and starve them with impunity with the full and unquestioning support of the US. Many in Israel believe that Netanyahu and his belligerence are obstructing the Zionist Project and a two-state solution. So Hagel as Sec. of Defense would be a positive step for the US AND for the Israeli people, no matter how much the US Israel Lobby may dislike it.
Obama could put forth one of the grandmothers of one of the members of congress, and they would still have a compliant. Probably that she does not color code her index cards or does not make cup cakes right.
Looks like, Obama is showing his strength to his opponents and basically to the Israeli lobbies around the globe. Hope, he will succeed and place his name in the great, daring and mightest American President. If he will bogged down, during the process, he will be considered as the timid President, Who has no guts to stand-up to the Israeli puppets in the Congress and Senate.
Is it Bagoti or Bagofwind.
Obama is in complete control, has a mandate, and has driven the GOP to its knees. Why would he be concerned? He can do anything he wants from now on. Not even true Democrats can stop him.
Jesus what a messed up society. For stuff he said?
"the Jewish lobby" intimidates many lawmakers" Yeah, so? They do, to the detriment of the nation over all. So he said it out loud, so what?
"whom he described as "openly, aggressively gay" Yeah, so? Perhaps he was, who knows, they don't say who he was talking about. My guess is an ambassador probably shouldn't be openly, aggressivey straight either.
It may at last be time to face the fact that our system of govt in its current from no longer works, our economic system in its current form no longer works, our healthcare system in its current form no longer works for the majority of rank-n-file working class americans.
The Israel Lobby does intimidate lawmakers . . . and journalists and . . . so there is no surprise that Hagel is criticized for speaking the truth.
Anyone here recall voting in favor of a "special relationship" with Israel?
First we'll have to assume Hagel speaks the truth. Isn't he a politician?