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Subscribe to RSSFormer Nebraska lawmaker, Chuck Hagel, is reportedly in line to be nominated for U.S. secretary of defense. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
Senators on Sunday indicated a tough confirmation fight for former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's reported pick to be the next Secretary of Defense.
On NBC's "Meet the Press," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Republicans in the upper chamber would treat Hagel "fairly" but that his past statements on Israel and Iran will be subject to tough scrutiny.
"I think he'll be subjected to the same kind of oversight hearings that any nominee for such an important position would expect," McConnell said. "And his views with regard to Israel, for example, and Iran and all the other positions that he's taken over the years will be very much a matter of discussion in the confirmation process."
Sen. Angus King, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, previews the upcoming nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel to become secretary of state.
"I think there will be a lot of tough questions for Sen. Hagel, but he will be treated fairly by Republicans in the Senate," he added.
That statement fell short of McConnell's past praise for his fellow Republican, a Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who served in the Senate for three terms. When Hagel left the Senate, McConnell called him "a clear voice on foreign policy and national security."
During a pre-taped appearance on ABC's "This Week," McConnell appeared to back off that view, saying only that Hagel has been "outspoken" on foreign policy issues. "The question we will be answering if he's the nominee is 'do his views make sense for that particular job?'" he said.
Hagel has earned foes on both sides of the aisle for past statements about Israel -- notably his comment about how the "Jewish lobby" tries to influence lawmakers in D.C. -- as well as for his calls for direct negotiations with Palestinian group Hamas. He has also voted against some Iran sanctions and was heavily critical of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell discusses the goals his party is aiming toward in the upcoming Congress.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called the reported pick an "in your face nomination" by the president, while new Sen. Ted Cruz blasted Obama for ignoring bipartisan criticism of his reported pick for the Pentagon job.
"This is a president who has drunk the tea," Cruz said on Fox News Sunday "He's high on re-election right now."
Cruz said that he is "concerned" about Hagel's past statements.
Newly-elected independent Sen. Angus King of Maine said on "Meet the Press" that he would "reserve judgement" until the confirmation process begins, saying he believes generally that the president should be given considerable leeway to fill his cabinet as he sees fit.
"But I'm going to want to ask some serious questions and hear from Senator Hagel about the issues," he added. "He's a guy with a distinguished record and I'm going to listen to the answers."
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a freshman Democrat from North Dakota, said that the looming fight over the expected nomination merely highlights the Washington gridlock disliked by the American public.
"Chuck Hagel is a tremendous patriot and statesman," she said on ABC. "He hasn't had a chance to speak for himself, so why all the prejudging? I don't know."
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I am sick and tired of these Republicans who can only say NO and act like they are omniscient and President Obama is is some impractical idealist when they are actually scared of losing their jobs - they maybe "PRIMARIED" if they do noit appeal to the "Know Nothing Tea Party Base". Graham and McConnel should be ashamed that they can not run on their records and that they care more for their jobs than the greater good of our nation.
I hope what is left of moderate republicans will rally behind Hagel as tipping point to fight to get their party back from fascists.
Are there any left?
The GOPTP just looks for fights........good ole southern boys. They don't care about this country, never have and never will. If they don't like our form of government they should just go home and cause their trouble.
Its amazing what comments people consider anti Israel, we criticise other countries all the time yet for some reason nobody can criticise Israel. Being critical of Israel doesnt make you anti semite, all it says is that Israel isnt perfect and that America and Israel dont always have the same interests in common.
It's odd that President Obama nominates a controversial Republican. Can we trust that Sen. Hagel has evolved as much as President Obama?
Obama is having fun with the Republicans. They refused to consider a Black Woman for the job, so Obama is going to let them eat one of their own, on public television.
And President Obama wonders why negotiations don't go smoothly?
For a Dixiecrat like Lindsey Graham to talk about being "out of the mainstream" is humerous
If President Obama really wanted to have fun, he should nominate Lindsey Graham for Secretary of Defense. Talk about a wild confirmation hearing.
Only job Graham is qualified for is commander of Fort Sumter. Since its a museum he should be capable of working the ticket booth there. And give the ole second amendment lover a musket so he can defend it just in case some Iranian walks up with a grocery bag loaded with their nuclear weapon. Ready, aim, fire Mr. graham.
if the jewish lobby looses influence in D.C. maybe some sanity will return to our govt. and the world will be a safer place. zionist, who's loyality is first to Israel, need to be removed from our govt.
Finally a Republcian who isn't lip locked on the ass of the jewish lobby...a breath of fresh air
Yes, the U.S. senate is an israeli occupied territory. Hagel presents a stumbling block that the occupiers are not used to, namely, a man who has been to a crappy place sent by others that would not go.
Senate Republicans dislike Black Women and Old White Republicans. Is there anyone, other than Rush Limbaugh, these right wing-nuts like?
The unfortunate piece of this is that Israel lovers aka Neocons - do not like former Senator Hagel because he put the US first - we all better start to look for reasonable friends in the Middle East & at this time in history Israel is not that friend - Israel needs to become a better neighbor and we need to understand that the Israel/Jewish lobby is not looking out for our troopers blood and for sure treasure - It is time for the US to pivot - & I am not the only common person in the US that thinks this!
The neocons seem really upset at this nomination. That's all the more reason that we should support Hagel. If the neocons hate him he's probably all right. Just so he's not one of them. It'll be fun to watch the GOP shred one of thier own in front of the whole nation.
Fell out of my easy chair this AM when Graham stated that Hagels views were out of the mainstream. I realize they just discovered shoes in SC but did it ever occur to the people of Mayberryland that their senators should at least be required to have a brain? Guess ole Lindseys mainstream means multiple unfunded wars, bomb now ask questions later, hold the country hostage because he can't get his way, etc. etc. I hope McCain doesn't sit down too fast. Would hate to see Lindsey suffer a broken nose.
It doesn't matter who Obama nominates. The Republicans were going to fight it tooth and nail either way.
Hagel spoke the truth that's hard to accept to some
Today's GOP is all about creating problems and not solving problems...
Of course the Republicans are upset at Hagels nomination. It will be business as usual with them, block anything that President Obama wants. The Republican Party under Mitch McConnell Koch & John Boehner Koch have become the party of Old white pukes with little common sense in their public agenda. The Republtanic continues to sink with 2 leaders with lead in their brains.
Good point vet
Here are,a list of things people we can all do without
1 tea bagger Taliban
2 god for money losers
3 America's favorite theatrical prop,,the bible
4 the out dated second amendment musket ass holes
5 simple minded GOP coc suckers
6 all religion
We the people will be voting out all these old redneck right wing fawks in 2014,2016,2018,2020
Die fawkers. Hillary 2016
It is now time to bury all the right wing nut extreemists,,VOTE PEOPLE
Barack Hussein Obama nominates a Jew hater who is supportive of Iran and Hamas and the trolls we know as Progressives leap to his defense because its better to hate America than have the NAACP call you racist. Yeah I know he was in the military, but I also point out that until he became a traitor Benedict Arnold was the finest general in the Colonial army.
Actually our country would do well to stop doing the bidding of Israel. It puts us in a bad position whereas the middle east is concerned. We shouldnt be there to protect the highest bidder.
Johnny: You should know what you're talking about before you advertise what you don't. It seems like you love that word bid, eh? If we're doing the bidding for Israel, how are they the highest bidder and what is at least one specific of us bidding for them or they being the highest biddder for our services? The truth is, they get a couple of billion a year from us, and they are our eyes and ears of the MidEast, are available for us to use as a line of departure, and save us from the cost of a military installation somewhere in the region. We give more to Mexico for nothing but more illegal aliens. We give moire to Egypt to hate us. We give nearly as much to Libya to kill our ambassador and three other Americans, yet you bigoted jew haters can hardley keep the blood out of your eyes and the foam off of your mouths when Israel comes up. Me? I'm an American of Irish & Polish extraction and a Roman Catholic, so I have no personal stake in Israel. But as a lover of my country, right or wrong, I value the friends she has.
Wepublicans are da cwaziest peepils.............
We have been screwing the muslims since Saint Raygun and how has that worked out. I believe that Hagel will bring a different approach to the problems in the Middle East. We need to pull te plug on Israel and quit kissing their sorry asses. They are nothing but bigots treating the Palestinians like S**T!!!! Let's end the occupation of the Middle East. If aholes like mcstupid and the rest of the GOPtard warmongers want war then let them go fight it themselves. I am sick of their F'ing war games. We should not be the policemen of the world. We are only there to protect oil companies. Let them sink into oblivion.
We should be carpet bombing them every morning and every night and then it would be working out for us. You and all your muzzie loving friends would watch your heads rolling for about 1 second before you died id you were living with those animals. Why don't you move on over to one of there sh--holes? You're useless here and you're the minority. Get out.
The republicans love a man like Boehner, but don't like Chuck Hagel. That is weird. The truth is too many senators take their marching orders and money from Israel.
Hagel will be opposed and humiliated but not because he said "Jewish" instead of "Israeli" fifteen years ago, and not because he used the expression "openly and aggressively gay" about someone years ago. (If anything, the family value zealots should love that last part.)
He'll be put through the wringer because he was nominated by President Obama.
Of course, the Tea Party types won't like his notion that war should be a last resort, and that we should talk to enemies like Hamas first. And that's what all the questions will be about. But Hagel isn't a stereotypical Peacenik or anti-Semitic. And he's been firm on his anti-abortion stance too. There's always something to like and to dislike about any nominee, but the bottom line is that he'll probably run the Pentagon effectively.
But none of that has anything to do with the opposition he'll get from the GOP. There are sensible people in the GOP but they're justly terrified of primary challenges from the extreme right. Hagel might get through, but the reasonable Republicans must prove their bona fides by challenging him.
The "evil" that Obama represents pervades the entire party. Some seem to have been hijacked by collective delusions. A Pew poll showed that one third of Republican voters believe that Obama is a Muslim. Another third of all voters "didn't know".
Well, the zealots failed to make Obama a one-term president, which was their primary goal during his first term, but they seem stuck with the same tactics, probably to deny him a "legacy." They object to everything he does. The ATF hasn't had a leader for more than a year. Minor diplomatic appointments are routinely blocked. A standing filibuster exists in the Senate.
"Obama is the worst president we've ever had," as one candidate from Louisiana put it during the last campaign. From his point of view, it's true. Not because of Obama's policies but because Obama is essentially corrupt, traitorous, and ultimately evil in every respect. Since he's nominated Hagel, then Hagel must be evil too.
Hagel should be stuffed in a wood chipper.