Hagel, sometimes stumbled over predictable questions about his past opposition to unilateral sanctions on Iran, and his condemnation of what he once called the "Jewish lobby" and its influence on American-Israeli ties. Throughout the day, Republicans waged an electronic anti-Hagel campaign, emailing reporters quotes like, "There are a lot of things I don’t know about. If confirmed, I intend to know a lot more than I do. I will have to." There appeared to be no parallel pro-Hagel effort by President Barack Obama's administration.
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Defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel endured a thorough pounding on Thursday at the hands of his fellow Republicans during a contentious, daylong confirmation hearing that did nothing to improve his prospects for heading the Pentagon. But in a Senate where Democrats control four more votes than the 51 needed to approve him, it may not matter.
Hagel, a decorated Vietnam veteran, sometimes stumbled over predictable questions about his past opposition to unilateral sanctions on Iran, and his condemnation of what he once called the "Jewish lobby" and its influence on American-Israeli ties. Throughout the day, Republicans waged an electronic anti-Hagel campaign, emailing reporters quotes like, "There are a lot of things I don’t know about. If confirmed, I intend to know a lot more than I do. I will have to." There appeared to be no parallel pro-Hagel effort by
President Barack Obama's administration.
Prodded on the former Nebraska senator's often shaky performance, White House press secretary Jay Carney criticized Republicans for "political posturing" and predicted Hagel would be confirmed—but studiously avoided saying what Obama thought of the hearing or if he even watched it.
"I was with him for some time earlier today, not around a television, so I can't—I can say that during that period, he did not. But I can't say that definitively that he hasn’t seen any of it. As you know, he doesn't spend a lot of time watching TV," Carney said. "The president is absolutely confident that Sen. Hagel will, as I said, make an excellent secretary of defense."
The Senate confirms Cabinet secretaries by simple majority. But 60 votes are needed if Republicans opt to throw up procedural roadblocks to delay—or kill—the nomination. Democrats, with their independent allies, have a 55-45 advantage in the Senate. To date, the only Republican to come out publicly as a “yes” vote has been Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi.
The day's most charged exchanges included an angry assault by Republican Sen. John McCain, a dramatic turn given that Hagel co-chaired the senator's 2000 presidential campaign.
McCain derided Hagel as stubbornly camped “on the wrong side” of history when it comes to Iraq and openly doubted whether he could support the confirmation of his former comrade.
