Posted on 01/06/2013 5:17:29 PM PST by SeekAndFind
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama plans to announce Monday that he is nominating former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel to be his next defense secretary in the face of intensifying opposition from Republican lawmakers, administration officials said Sunday.
Those officials acknowledge they have a bruising confirmation fight ahead. They also say they are confident they will prevail because Republicans ultimately won't be able to topple a former colleague, Vietnam veteran and two-term GOP senator from Nebraska who served on the foreign relations and intelligence committees.
Mr. Obama also may announce his nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, a position left vacant when David Petraeus resigned last year after admitting to an affair. The two leading candidates for the post are White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan and acting CIA Director Michael Morell.
Republican lawmakers on Sunday stepped up their opposition to Mr. Hagel, who initially voted for the Iraq war but grew to oppose it and who supported Mr. Obama for president in 2008. Critics also have cited Mr. Hagel's past criticisms of Israel as a basis for their opposition.
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.) said Sunday on CNN that it would "probably be a bridge too far" for him to support Mr. Hagel. Mr. Hagel's foreign policy views, he said, are "outside the mainstream," and he would be "the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation's history."
Other Republicans, such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), cited what they see as a leniency on Iran and a past reluctance to impose sanctions on Tehran as reasons for their opposition. "He has consistently advocated weakness with respect to our enemies, with respect to the nation of Iran," Mr. Cruz told "Fox News Sunday." "Weakness in a secretary of defense invites conflict, because bullies don't respect weakness."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I was so glad he when he left the Senate... What is with these zombie RINOS they keep coming back usually with satan as their master....
I half expected Obama to nominate Richard Lugar for the position. Lugar’s 80, though, so maybe he wanted someone younger.
This has more to do with with that pathetic senator club than anything else.
Repesl the 17th.
former RepublicanSen.Chuck Hagel to be his next defense secretary in the face of intensifying opposition from Republican lawmakers... are confident they will prevail because Republicans ultimately won't be able to topple a former colleague, Vietnam veteran and two-term GOP senator from Nebraska who served on the foreign relations and intelligence committees... who initially voted for the Iraq war but grew to oppose it and who supported Mr. Obama for president in 2008... Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.) said Sunday on CNN that... he would be "the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation's history." ...Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), cited what they see as a leniency on Iran and a past reluctance to impose sanctions on Tehran as reasons for their opposition. "He has consistently advocated weakness with respect to our enemies, with respect to the nation of Iran," Mr. Cruz told "Fox News Sunday." "Weakness in a secretary of defense invites conflict, because bullies don't respect weakness."
IMHO, the 0 doesn’t really want Hagle. 0 is nominating him because he knows Republicans don’t like him and he wants another fight to prove his dominance over Repubbies.
His main goal is to discredit the Republican party so they appear to be radical and foolish. He has goals and as long as he can take down the opposition he is delighted.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d113:15:./list/bss/d113HJ.lst::
H.J.RES.15
Latest Title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.
Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-15] (introduced 1/4/2013) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2013 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
I told everyone I knew when Obama was elected the second time that he wanted to be dictator-in-chief.
The White Mosque is very offensive.
Linda may be growing a pair, but more likely has held a finger in the air and seen which way the wind is blowing.
Oh Lord. This is awful. Obama puts up a Republican and Republicans are going to shoot it down. This is going to make the average non-informed voter question what the heck is going on. Obama is playing the Republicans big time. I wish he would just nominate Democrats. This could be hugely embarrassing.
Agreed. I can’t wait for her primary. Hope we can find a strong Conservative to run against her.
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Please tell us that you DO NOT support Hagel?
Please tell us that you DO NOT support Hagel?
Never gave him much thought. However, I still think this is a case of screwing the Republicans. How can Republicans turn down another Republican and make it look good? That is my problem. Obama is going to say, “Well I tried to be bipartisan and these Republicans just won’t work with me.” How do we fight that?
lol. I thought South Carolina would have been smart the last time...they surprised me. Hopefully they can find a more intelligent conservative to run against HER. lol.
"Obama is playing the Republicans big time."
I agree. This is a cynical ploy to have a Republican front and center to get beat on and flogged in the public square for all to see.
Obama has no illusion that Hagel will be confirmed. It's all show.
How many Senate votes does it take for confirmation?
Maybe causing the low-information voter to wonder what the heck is going on is exactly what we need.
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