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Subscribe to RSSSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid voices his dismay on the House floor Thursday over the filibuster of Chuck Hagel's nomination as U.S. secretary of defense.
As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid set a cloture vote for Thursday afternoon at 4:15 pm ET, the White House is trying to answer Republican concerns and Vice President Biden is making calls to ex-GOP Senate colleagues in an effort to save Chuck Hagel's nomination for defense secretary.
Republicans are threatening to filibuster Hagel's nomination and require 60 votes to overcome cloture, if they do not receive more information on Hagel's speeches and finances. Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) sent a Feb. 12 letter to the White House requesting more information on the attacks in Benghazi and are tying Hagel's nomination to it.
Hagel has 57 votes -- 55 Democrats and two Republicans -- but would need three Republicans to vote for cloture, to end debate on his nomination, in order for it to proceed to a final up-or-down confirmation vote. The White House believes with Susan Collins (R-ME), Hagel has 58 votes for cloture.
"The Administration has repeatedly made clear its commitment to understanding the facts and circumstances surrounding the September 11-12, 2012 attack on our diplomatic mission in Benghazi...," White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler wrote in response to McCain, Graham, and Hagel.
Ruemmler also writes that the administration has begun to implement "each and every one" of the Accountability Review Board recommendations.
"This intensive response, which was directed by the President, included 13 meetings of interagency Principals and Deputies within a week of the attack and included continuous outreach by senior administration officials to the Government of Libya, including by the President and members of his Cabinet," Ruemmler wrote.
Republicans have questioned the level of involvement of President Obama in the handling of the aftermath of Benghazi. In response to a specific question from McCain, Graham, and Ayotte, Reummler writes, "Secretary Clinton called Libyan President Magariaf on behalf of the President on the evening of September 11, 2012 to coordinate additional support to protect Americans in Libya...The President spoke to President Magariaf on the evening of September 12."
She ends the letter with: "We continue to urge the full Senate to act swiftly and confirm former Senator Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense."
In the Senate, McCain said Thursday there is an effort underway to negotiate a way to get more information and get Hagel a clean up-or-down vote.
"We are working on and having negotiations now trying to smooth this thing out and get it done," McCain said. "We're working on trying to get a path forward to having the questions answered and the vote and Hagel getting his vote."
NATO defense ministers are meeting next week in Brussels, and the administration would like to have Hagel in place to attend. Reid had said earlier Thursday he would set the cloture vote on Hagel's nomination for Friday morning and an up-or-down vote Saturday before moving it up to Thursday afternoon.
"It's critical that we get our new national security team confirmed as soon as possible," said a White House official, per Kristen Welker. "When we have 66,000 American troops serving in Afghanistan, face the looming threat of sequestration, and are dealing with continued North Korean intransigence, it's irresponsible not to move forward to confirm Chuck Hagel. There are real consequences to this kind of unprecedented political posturing against a Defense Secretary nominee - consequences that are dangerous to our national security.
But Republicans want a further delay until after the Senate's break next week.
No Defense Secretary has ever been filibustered and just two cabinet secretary nominees, aside from Hagel, have been. But McCain harkened back to the failed nomination of John Tower in 1989.
"I have said all along that we had to have the concerns of Senators addressed," McCain said, "and I'm hopeful we can get those concerns addressed and still move forward with a 51-vote vote, because we have never required 60 votes of a Defense Secretary. But I would remind you that in the case of John Tower -- and I was here when you were teenagers -- John Tower, nominated on Dec. 16, 1988. [On] March 10, 1989, the Senate rejected his nomination. I was here, while the Democrats stalled his nomination for three months. So please, don't give me that argument about how we're holding things up."
Tower was rejected 53-47. It was not by a filibuster, but Democrats controlled the chamber. Three Democrats voted for Tower; one Republican voted against.
Graham said he would support cloture after the recess "unless there's some bombshell."
NBC's Kristen Welker, Mike Viqueira, and Bob Constantini contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:17 PM EST
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It would be naive, gullible and ludicrous to assume that McCain's, Graham's and other's efforts are anything other than the persistent and irresponsible, self-serving efforts of the Republicans to stalemate government, to stubbornly black and arrogantly fault all efforts without regard for costs to the country, to the people, only to further their own political ambitions.
It would be naive,gullible ,and ludicrous..
To BELIEVE any of your SUBJECTIVE SOCIALIST DROOL...
RGiles. Don't care for the Republicans who are involved in this but I agree Hagel is just a terrible person to have at Defense. Hell he looked asleep in the Hearings..no answers groping to be composed!
What is the opposite of Socialist? If caring about your fellow humans is Socialist then I am a Socialist. If believing Christ would not agree with that other opposite, Then I am a Socialist by your definition.
Of course this is pure GOP politics. Even McCain admits it when he says that this is because The Dems stalled Tower's nomination in 1989.
Naive and ludicrous? Certainly the GOP is
A few years ago, a Republican president put the world's finest assault troops in a static position in Lebanon. 238 of them died, and not one conservative called for an investigation. Fast forward to 2001 and almost 3000 Americans died in terrorist attacks on our financial and political capitals. We had an inquiry this time, but the President and Vice President were not required to testify, and the administration was not held to account for what they did or did not do. In the end, the only person to lose his job was Richard C. Clarke, not because he was fired, but because he had the integrity to take responsibility for the government's failure.
But now we have this outrage over the death of 4 Americans serving in what they certainly knew was a dangerous place. The real reasons why this is still an issue is because Republicans are hypocrites, their base is easily manipulated and they have no real agenda to move the country forward. My God, even Mitt Romney realized that he had stepped on it during the debate and moved away as fast as he could. Does anyone think that whatever Susan Rice said on a talk show overrides what the President said the day after the attack? Why are the rest of you so stupid?
It dosen't matter these guys are Repubs and cannot think for themselves.
Romney was right about Benghazi during the debates; our Idiot in Chief not only did not call it a terrorist attack, but he, Obama, lied and sent Susan Rice to lie about what happened for ten days following the attack.
this is a political circus that the GOP hoped would erupt into a scandal. Instead Americans see just how low the GOP will stoop for political gain.
DISGUSTING
McCain wants a vote as he knows if Hagel is blocked the next Republican President would play hell getting his people in the Cabinet!
im still disgusted that the very same people who took part in the Pat Tillman lies and cover up are daring to question Benghazi when they have STILL failed to provide answers on that....especially using his funeral as propaganda for their illegal war, which was directly against his wishes...McCain, dont bother running again, you are becoming a disgrace to our state! (formerly a fan of his btw)
As long as it's a Republican lie they think it's allright.
TRY
UNCLE BEN GHAZI's
CONVERTED
SUSAN RICE..
GOES GOOD........
WITH
ALL..
YOUR
PRESS
CONFERENCES..
Don't Like Rice....?
YOU
MUST
BE
A RACIST...?
Anyone who support Hagel is anti-Semitic. Hagel has proven his hate of all Jews in many speeches over the years - so support this anti-Semitic pig and show your own true colors.
Actually, his votes show complete support for Israel.
The ONLY
things
in OBAMA's
CABINET..
Are
SKELETONS
and a
SUPERMAN SUIT.......that Obama takes TOO....seriously
I guess you just get on here to read what you type because if you listened to more than one news site you might hear of something new.
Must be SPECIAL SOCIALISTS KID'S DAY..at Collective Computer Camp..?
Why didn't you go?
The core of the trouble is Money both parties building their war chest for their comfortable retirement, from NRA, LOBBYIST, and BANKS and Wallstreet. It's as clear as the nose on your face if you care to look. But then you really don't care do you?
ahhh.The Pee Wee Herman..of wall street...
Can't deny too much money on both sides. Citizens United ruling should made this even worse.
Do the Republicans think Hagel was hiding out in a bunker at Ben Ghazi while the attack was going on?
Anyway, the Democrats need to ditch Senate Majority Leader Reid and put someone in who knows how to be mean back to the Republicans, like Elizabeth Warren.
WHERE
WAS
OBAMA
HIDING
WHEN
FOUR
AMERICANS
WERE
TORTURED
AND
MURDERED...?
Where were you when we went into Iraq on false pretense. Fox and Rush have made your brain into mush.
Exactly.
Who cares what Obama was doing? It's not like HE was the one killing them.
I'm so baffled as to what scandal the Gop is looking to find.
Simply on ONE Level.....HAGEL HATES...JEWS...
I think the word Hate does not apply. The guy is incompetent and no charisma or exhibited talent to lead!
You do not know what you are talking about. Try plugging in LaPierre and the NRA which has an enemy's list (hate list) that includes Jewish and Black organizations on the list.
READ what Hagel has written
Listen to his Old Briefings and Talks..
Make up your OWN MIND
His senate votes show complete solidarity with Israel. Stop lying about his record.
Obama is 100 times better president than the last republican president that drove the country into a sure_it h@le sucking up to the extremely rich while shooting the middle finger at the rest of americans.
if foolish republcans don't want "their" man, pick only liberals till the job is filled.
problem solved.
LASSIE..would have made a better President than the Commander-of-Cheese
yes, Lassie would have been better than Bush. My toenail would have been better
Well this is boring. Not many interesting comments here. Mud slinging but no tangible ideas. Hagel is not a competent person for our Country. Obama is just wrong on this one. Go for it Graham. First positive I have ever had for him, Graham, but the guy is right.
You are not competent to make these comments. You depend on Fox and Rush for your information.
No I rely on no one. I watched the hearings and Hagel was adrift in a sea of obvious ignorance. Constantly needing help and notes to stay on track. He was a yawn of a person to bring forward. He lacked composure and had the demur of a Homeless person waking up on the Street. Hope the street people do well but not going to put them in charge of Defense
The GOP are a bunch of ridiculous individuals who do not care what happens to this country. They are willing to let the economy fail and to put this country's security at risk. Their only goal is to make the President's life and the people who voted him miserable. The conservatives think that this will ensure a GOP President and Congress. Harry Reid was a FOOL to believe that Mitch McConnell is a man of his word. The problem is that the public is aware of the devious actions that the Republicans have been taking and will never trust this party again. We are also very mad at Harry Reid because we feel that he sold us out because of not having a backbone. Enough is enough. We want to live in a democracy and not a corporate libertarian society.
The Grand Old Party is a complete disgrace!!!!
I like to think of the GOP as a large cement barrier shutting down all lanes of traffic on a major thoroughfare. If it did not exist, the country could navigate to where it needs to be handily.
It seems they have not one clue how to govern a nation. To compensate for their lack of civic mindedness, they are content to just prevent anybody else from bringing about prosperity to the nation.
2014 and 2016 should be a real eyeopener for the GOP. I often wonder if anybody else visualized the Republican presidential candidates all in clown suites during their presidential debates.
It is too bad they have not been leaving breadcrumbs along their path to self annihilation. It is now doubtful they will ever be able to find their way back to reality.
Not the sharpest blade in the box. Par for the course. Rice, penetta, hagel, kerry, clinton, emanuel. Geez!
You forgot to add George-2802738!
WAS HAGEL....STONED..?
FLASHBACK..?
Or Just
UNBELIEVABLY
INCOMPETANT..? You Know.......just Like OBAMA
ODD... these silly game-playing republicans are demanding more information from Hagel than they did their own presidential nominee-romney.
They are pathetic losers bent on destroying America and the middle class with these childish games.
Weird how they flip flop to fit their game play.
Liberals..Pathetic LOSERS..
Bent on Destroying AMERICA
and The Middle Class..with Their Childish Games..
weird not..How FULL of KRAPP..they are...
Happy Valentines Day to the Republicans on this one. No love though for Hagels actions!. He doen't get a Card
Before the Nomination
Hagel PROMISED
to get Rid of His Armbands..and Brown shirts..
You know what they say, payback is....... Th Republican Party need to stop this foolish action. They look like a bunch of sore looser.
You know what they say...
The FURER OBAMA..
His Way or Not at ALL...
Obama = Hitler - EYEROLL
We really do have to be cautious, when we appoint a Secretary of Defense. Remember Rumsfeld? Never again!
Filibuster a Cabinet member?? Say a war hero is "pal-ing around with terrorists"???
This is outrageous. GOP'ers -long term: you reap what you sow. Short term - you're putting our country at risk by this obstruction and destabilization.
Meeting was ajourned ..
Until Hagel can Rally support
from Hammas..and Hezbollah...
His record is of complete support for Israel