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President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Pentagon, former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel, will likely be confirmed next week, one of his most dogged opponents said Sunday.
"I'm confident that Sen. Hagel will probably have the votes necessary to be confirmed as secretary of defense," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."
After Senate Republicans voted to sustain a filibuster and block the former Nebraska senator's nomination from advancing toward confirmation, McCain acknowledged that Hagel will likely win confirmation once the chamber returns from its recess.
Arizona Sen. John McCain visits Meet the Press to discuss the ongoing battles in Washington over Chuck Hagel's defense secretary nomination, the sequester and government spending, and the Benghazi incident investigation.
"I think it's a reasonable amount of time to have questions answered," McCain said of the week-and-a-half-long window which Senate Republicans demanded to pore more thoroughly over their former colleague's records.
Democrats and the Obama administration have complained that a filibuster for a defense secretary nominee is without precedent. Moreover, they argue that filling the defense post is particularly urgent given outgoing Secretary Leon Panetta's plans to leave the Pentagon, and the looming "sequester" of automatic spending cuts, which fall heavily upon the defense budget.
The administration publicly shrugged off, though, the notion that the delay had damaged Hagel's ability to serve effectively.
"No, he's not going to be a weaker defense secretary," said Denis McDonough, the president's new chief of staff, "he's going to be a great defense secretary."
Wrapped up into the GOP's objections are the desire to ding the administration, a demand for fuller answers to the Sept. 11, 2012 attacks on the diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, and personal quarrels with Hagel over his criticism of President George W. Bush and the handling of the war in Iraq. McCain denied, though, that Republicans' attacks on Hagel were personal in nature.
"99 percent of it has to do with the positions Sen. Hagel has taken," he said.
The Hagel fight has consumed Congress in recent weeks, threatening to expend Obama's political capital as he enters a second term. It's yet to be seen whether this fight, and the looming fight to replace the sequester with other equivalent savings, would affect other elements of the Obama agenda — including gun control, and immigration.
Amid a New York Times report that suggested the White House had pushed ahead with its own immigration bill, McDonough said it was consistent with Obama's promise to simply be prepared with his own alternative plan. Obama, McDonough said, was still hoping that a bipartisan Senate group would be able to produce its own comprehensive immigration reform proposal.
"I believe we're making progress on a bipartisan basis," said McCain, a member of the eight-member, bipartisan Senate group working on the immigration proposal. The Arizona senator said, though, that Obama had had no communications with the Senate group.
"Does the president really want a result?" asked McCain, reflecting Republicans' concerns on the politics of immigration. "Or does he want another cudgel so he can beat up Republicans to get an advantage in the next election?"
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So John is he going to get voted in before the republican armageddon/apocolypse/rapture that all the oldies in your party preach is coming?
Your ignorance is breathtaking!!! You must be very, very, very young. You are just another example of the fruit of our public school system. You have been failed by your family, your schools, and your church.
MexaMax, you and your buddies are failing humanity.
haha hehehoho,glad he had to go
The Obama Administration used the Newtown survivors who were trotted out very quickly after that event. So when are we going to hear from the survivors of the Benghazi Consulate Massacre? The American people would like to hear what they have to say. Why is the Administration keeping them away from the media??? What is the Obama Administration trying to hide? What is Hillary trying to hide?
A noun, a verb, and Benghazi. Wow.
Don't worry, we won't forget about Benghazi until we get the answers. Don't worry!!!
The answers? Or the answers you want to hear?
What's the question?
Sort of reminds me of the Republican position on ther budget: We demand spending cuts! What cuts do you recommend? We demand spending cuts!
Yes Mesa, you are regurgitating the usual lines from Fox, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc. I'd like to know everything that occured on the way to Irak, the lies, the fabrications, the cover-ups and who made billions.
Will you help me find out? Of course you will.
Benghazi, that's all you guys have to use as an apparent weapon against Obama. Good luck, you'll need lots of it.
What a freaking jerk. Votes for the fillibuster, waits until Congress goes on recess, and THEN decides that Hagel will have enough votes. McCain and the other GOP senators have again shown they have no intention to govern and don't have the incentive or capability to govern.
The repubs are just trying to weaken the country for some reason. Oliver Stone should be working on a movie now, to finish his educational series of showing their corruption and conspiracies.
And yet another really stupid comment. Are you a high school graduate???
Mesa, you must have been an abused child that thinks you deserve to abuse everyone, typical republican.
I think your dosage of the Lib Koolaid needs to be cut back a bit there bearcat.
Mesa max./I consider your comment to be pointless,like so many of your political flavour. Big B. B. gave an opinion and the only response from you was an insult and a pointless one at that. Most of us on this forum are defending or attacking views given by persons of note,therefore I consider your blog as meaningless. If you have a viewpoint we would like to read of it,then we can agree or disagree. Simple?
Hagel is an anti Semitic terrorist sympathizer.
McCain needs to retire.
Sounds like Hagel would have fit in perfect with Bush and Cheney, per Tora Bora escape allowed for Bin Laden. So why don't repubs love him like they did Bush and Cheney?
And yet another really stupid comment. Are you still IN high school???
Hagel dared to call McCain on the surge. Has no relation to his creds as a SecDef, but McCain hates that someone would actually question him.
McCain's brother MesaMax is going to go nuts if he keeps on this blog because it ain't going to get nicer to the repubs BS here.
Thinking L.T. /Your blog that Hegel is a terrorist is typical of the disagreeable right wing. He appears to be a loyal American Military Veteran,entitled to a degree of respect.I may not agree with his political views, but I do share his concerns that this Republican Party of yours is in the pocket of the Israeli lobby.I believe that their insistence of unconditional support of Israel is harmful to us. We are attempting to find a way to lasting peace in the Mid East. and being yes men to the Israelis is not the way to go.
oldman mcain should be in a nursing home,as wellas hahel,,two old hacks
When are we going to know the truth about the Fast & Furious Scandal? When are we going to get justice for the border patrol officer victim?
When are we going to know the truth about the Benghazi Consulate Massacre? When are we going to learn exactly what Obama was doing on that day? Why is the administration hiding the facts?? Why???
What the frack does that have to do with Hagel?
Mesa, your paranoia is duly noted. Take an aspirin.
Once again this president is leading the people down the wrong path. The road to perdition is wide and well-trodden. This president knows the road well. From his days as a spoiled youth using illegal drugs, to his college days where he chose radical, extremist role models, to his days as a politician in Chicago, the most corrupt city in the US, to his dirty and deceitful re-election campaign, yes, this president knows the road well.
Still ticked about November?
Mesa, not a good year to push conspiracy investigation - 50 year anniversary of JFK assasination in the heart of repubville Dallas. 40 year on Watergate....near 30 year on Iran Contra....
what a bunch of flowery tripe
What does that have to do with Hagel?
Mesa Max / Why don't you just say that you agree One hundred percent with the rest of your obstructionist T.P. You should enjoy yourselves while you can. Your far,far right wing political group hopefully has a short survival time.
looking at mcain and other oldmembers,you can see why we need term limits
Might have bought this from McCain except I heard an interview yesterday where he said (and this is not an exact quote) that Hagels problem is that when he Was a Republican in the Senate that he did not 100% of the time side with his party. I've put the emphasis on Was because in McCain's mind Hagel is not a Republican. I haven`t heard where Hagel has left the Republican party but it sure seems they have left him because he was not in lock step with what they want. Hagel obviously had a mind of his own and wanted to vote the way he thought was right.
i noticed bush led us into two wars,and ten tillion in debt
You must be too young to have lived through 9/11. Otherwise you would not make that inane comment. Read a book about 9/11 and its aftermath, THEN try to make an intelligible comment. Thanks.
The Iraq war had nothing to do with 9/11. You read a history book
Shhhh...we're all supposed to forget about that!!! Just like we are supposed to forget that we elected a goober President (twice) who had more ego than capacity. I think the term they use for that is.....arrogance?
Mesa..considering your epic fail at an intelligent comment, I would lose the misplaced hubris.
McCain concedes that once more he has been an irrelevant grumpy old man, pissing into the wind.
He may start having flashbacks to his POW days and look at dems as vietcongs soon. I think he should retire to one of his 17 homes, then he can spend the rest of his life finding out and remembering where they are since asked in his 2008 election he didn't know. Maybe go run for King of some little country. Wonder if his yard crews at those are all illegals he only will pay half the minimum wage...
Forgot to mention, get him a waterproof hazmat suit and face shield for that pissing into the wind protection.
..and you always thought he had a suntan..
both of these parties are currupt and need to be cleansed
History has shown that it is the natural state of governments to abridge Liberty, and not to enlarge Liberty. What made our Revolution so special is that we replaced a government that abridged freedoms with one that expanded them. We, The People, must defend our Liberty against all who would abridge it.
Another conservative who values the constitution calling for a revolution that would destroy the constitutional form of government we have? BTW, what liberties have been abridged?
Thanks Mesa, you finally divulged your repub armageddon planning. Reminded me to advise Obama, have Surgeon General psyche test the repubs and find out how many far righties need to go for timeouts to rehab, and let the sane run the country.
Poor analysis. Poor. You are yet another victim of our public school system. School is for learning about our history and what makes this country special. It is not about seeing various groups as victims throughout our history. You have been brainwashed. Sad. Sad. Hopefully you will get wiser as you get older. Hopefully.
Huh?
Ah...the revisionists. No...historically, government is to protect an ever expanding "social contract" formed to protect ever increasing numbers of people from the tyranny of the minority.
That's the historical background of English representative democracy.
Mesa.. you are becoming a poster child for the ignorant. Please open an actual history book, and stop regurgitating revision from the right. Go the library and acquaint yourself with knowledge.
get off my lawn mcain,,,lmao
Wow! After all the belly achin and grandstanding Mccain thinks Hagel will be confirmed?
What a bunch of jerk Iffs
The world of Elmer Fuddsville welcomes it's newest member....John McCain. Keep towing that party line Elmer..the one that's hitched to the party going nowhere fast. Last time I check...the GNOP's "we've always done it that way" mentality is the reason you guys (and gals) party is completely in the hole.
Keep up the good work...everytime one of you shows their true colors they loose four votes to the Democrats!
Please make sure to say hi to another latest member of yours...Deb Fischer of Nebraska. Still trying to figure out how a bona fide land grabber beat out a Congressional Medal of Honor winner and past Govenor? Must be because Fischer is a rubber stamp and comes from a state full of Republican lemmings.
Lightweight leadership in it's finest form right there...That's ALL Folks!!!
States that have remained about all white in that area of the country, other than maybe Iowa, have reversed their attitudes to pre 1960's. Will be very interesting to see if the younger whites retain the bigotry and fears of their older parents, if so may as well split the country in two and let the super red states secede...especially if they keep gerrymandering the congress districts and push voter and electoral college modifications that will eventually undercut 60-70% of all Americans' rights and representation....prepare to let them secede.
BigRedJJJ #68:
Please, Big Red, please!!!
Don't insult Elmer Fudd like that!!!! He's smarter than McCain was or ever will be!!!!!!!!! (:
Gun ownership is just another aspect of American Exceptionalism. And yet, how easily are people willing to give up the rights that our Founding Fathers fought and died for. How easily. And all in the false hope that government can guarantee greater security. As our Founding Fathers said, “He who is willing to trade Liberty for Security deserves neither”.
The only gun legislation passed by Congress and signed by Obama expanded carry laws. Nice try Max. For that you get a lollipop.
haha hehe hoho,old man mcain gotta go
Hope that cable channel keeps playing old Three Stooges clips in the morning weekdays, we can see real logic and intellect there to warm up for the great stuff from congress reported later in the day.
McCain's strategic philosophy is "overwhelming force." Anytime. Any Place. Any Reason.
He was a fighter jock. Not known to be the quiet, contemplative types. Instead, they tend to be "quick draw, shoot first and ask questions later," types, whose survival, in combat, depends on fast, tactical responses, rather than complex strategies.
Hmmm? Come to think of it, the Bushies were also fighter pilots.
Let him retire to General of the Border Patrol to guard his state with their Gov Jan and Sheriff Joe....give them General Patton outfits to wear with pearl handled Colt 45's and an old Sherman Tank to run back and forth along the border in their retirement.
Anybody with a brain should realize McCain is not only an insult to the GOP, but to the entire nation. The man has lost it big time.
who in the hell is this mesa guy...he talks..like he has edumucation
Just remember he is smarter than all of us who went to public school, as he says....maybe that is where he got abused, no it is Sunday won't bring up his private school problems.
hahahahaha
Ah, yes, McCain. The man who allowed Sarah Palin to be foisted on us! He should be executed for that one alone!
where is she now?
John you have out lived your uselessness