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The Spectacle Blog
Why on earth did John McCain just rescue Chuck Hagel’s nomination?
Why did he go on Meet the Press this morning to say that Chuck Hagel was going to get confirmed as Secretary of Defense?
McCain argued that Hagel had the votes to be confirmed and that he didn’t want the process to be delayed further.
But if that is the case then why did Bob Woodward go on Fox News yesterday to say that Democratic Senators were calling the White House to ask when Hagel was withdrawing?
Now I doubt Woodward would have dropped that tidbit if there wasn’t sufficient discord amongst Democrats to thwart Hagel’s confirmation. But now that McCain has said that Hagel has the votes those Democrat Senators who might have otherwise voted against Hagel have now been given the room they need to confirm him.
The whole point of the filibuster is to germinate the seeds of doubt amongst Senators whose commitment is less than rock solid. Now McCain has uprooted those seeds.
Consider that Hagel is less than familiar with the inner workings of the Pentagon never mind our policy on Iran as demonstrated during his inept performance at his confirmation hearing. What must also be considered is his Chomskyite view that Israel is a greater threat to the world than Iran. If this doesn’t demand Senate Republicans move heaven and earth to stop Hagel’s nomination then nothing will.
As it stands, Republicans lack the zeal necessary to carry out the function of a loyal opposition. If Republicans had a caucus full of Ted Cruzs that might not be the case.
This is, of course, all Obama’s doing. After all, as I wrote recently, he foisted Hagel upon us and in so doing demonstrated poor judgment. But I also made a point of saying that if the Senate confirms Hagel they too will be guilty of poor judgment. It appeared that the Senate was having sober second thoughts about Hagel. Unfortunately, McCain’s remarks on Meet the Press have done away with that sobriety and has now put Hagel’s nomination back on track.
View all comments (37) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2013/02/17/why-did-mccain-rescue-hagel
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Cobalt| 2.17.13 @ 1:55PM
Someone made a deal with McCain.
Jack in Wi| 2.17.13 @ 4:27PM
Hagel was always going to be confirmed when he got the blessin g of Chuck Shumer. This is all a pile of hooey. Why are Republicans wasting time on this? Hagel is more qualified then Rumsfeld or Gates, for that matter. Bush and Obama have gotten thousands of troops killed and wounded in nonsense wars. Why are the 4 people killed in Bengazi more important? Obama is destroying the country and all the Republicnas can do is waste time and energy.
Crassus| 2.17.13 @ 4:42PM
How is Hagel more qualified than Rumsfeld or Gates? Gimme an answer, Jackie Poo, and please don't use the words neocon or chicken hawk. And why is Bengazi unimportant in your book? Inquiring minds want to know, Jackie Poo.
Jack in Wi| 2.17.13 @ 5:43PM
Bengazi is just one of thousands of incidents in this idiotic war on terror. I don't see you getting upset about all the lies and nonsense that has been put out to get us into Iraq and keep us in Afganistan. Cry a little bit for the 6000 dead and 60 wounded and maimed as well as the millions of other people killed, wounded and displaced all over a NEOCON lied into bunch of wars. Cry for all the broken soldiers, and all the suicidal ones. Hagel is better because he once spoke the truth to power, even if he has caved in now. Who knows he might even do it again?
Biff| 2.17.13 @ 6:05PM
Nobody likes the idea of kids dying in useless wars, but you cannot compare diplomats abandoned and left to die by an uncaring federal government to soldiers who die in combat situations. At least not with any shred of credibility.
Mike W| 2.17.13 @ 9:43PM
4 dead diplomats, knowing the risks. In fact the ambassador had facilitated the downfall of Gadhaffi through the arming of the rebels.
Four thousand dead Americans killed in a pointless, stupid war based on lies.
I dislike Hagel more for his support of the invasion in 2002. He was smart enough to know the propaganda being spewed by the Bush admin. was just garbage, yet he voted for the war anyway.
JP| 2.18.13 @ 7:55AM
Yes, every diplomat signs up knowing that his government will abandon him to be sodomized and then suffocated.
And we lost more Marines in three weeks (Iwo Jima) than we did in 8 years in Iraq. If ever there was a totally pointless, it was Iwo Jima.
TLP| 2.18.13 @ 6:26PM
We lost more men on ONE DAY at Normandy, than we did in Both of these Wars.
spike59| 2.19.13 @ 5:48AM
credibility is not exactly high up on Jackie's list of priorities
Bob Grant| 2.17.13 @ 2:00PM
Committee hearings are nothing more than performance art.
7-08| 2.17.13 @ 2:25PM
What difference does it make why? Just find comfort in the fact that you have been stiffed by the best. You really don’t think you have anything to say or contribute? Pay your taxes and shut up.
Bob K| 2.17.13 @ 3:50PM
Why the question?
Since his days as a 4th generation legacy appointment to the Naval Academy Mc Cain has proven repeatedly that his intellect is much smaller than his ego. This says even less about the voters in Arizona and the Republican leadership which thought he was presidential timber.
J.C.Eaton| 2.18.13 @ 11:01AM
THIS! The man nails it.
TLP| 2.18.13 @ 6:26PM
Indeed.
itsy_bitsy| 2.17.13 @ 4:17PM
It is sooo past time to get rid of McCain! He struts around Washington like a little banty rooster! He's a turncoat and has been for more than 20 years!
TLP| 2.18.13 @ 6:28PM
Always remember that Benedict Arnold was our Best General, at one time.
Crassus| 2.17.13 @ 4:43PM
At least Juanny Mac's wife is having fun screwing around with her boyfriend back in Arizona. He's probably giving her the orgasms old Juan never could.
Bob Grant| 2.17.13 @ 5:46PM
If you believe in karma, then let's hope it's an illegal alien pool boy...named Juan!
Jim Adcox| 2.17.13 @ 7:42PM
To describe how I feel every time John McCain steps in the proverbial cow pie, I use a quote from the English class in "Good Morning, Vietnam": "Look what you did, and Goddammit!"
CT| 2.18.13 @ 12:01AM
And once again, John McCain proves himself unworthy of the task.
Occam's Tool| 2.18.13 @ 1:37AM
No doubt there is some blackmail material on John McCain somewhere.
However, Hagel is going to do a Louis Johnson bit on the Defense Department. We are not going to like this outcome. Eviscerations of our Armed Forces never end well.
J.C.Eaton| 2.18.13 @ 11:07AM
Occam, amigo, thought of you a few days ago when I watched a short blurb[on, I believe, FOX News] featuring a session with a shrink, Dr. Mc-something, who vouchafed that the profession had become over the top with respect to the use of drugs to combat mental problems. Wished I could've talked to you at the time. Best,
Dollface| 2.18.13 @ 8:22AM
Rule number one in McCain's world is "don't do anything to upset the comity (or is it comedy?) of the Senate." Hagel, as an ex-senator, is still a member of the club. Not confirming a member of the club will upset the comity (or comedy) of the senate. Therefore, he will be confirmed. That is a tragedy.
TLP| 2.18.13 @ 6:29PM
McCain is the John Roberts of the Senate.
Tanguera| 2.18.13 @ 8:58AM
For a hint as to why, we only need to consider that he was one of the first to defend Huma when Bachmann et al. stated the obvious. Wonder if Coulter will be alive long enough to put the lie to how Bachmann et al. were wrong about the "influence" (charitably put) on our government. One need only look at McCain's negative statements about the MB during the "Arab Spring" in 2011 and compare them to those of 2013 after visiting Egypt to see that his mind has been put right...
howiem| 2.18.13 @ 9:30AM
Isn't the real question here whether or not the known devil is better than the unknown devil? Anyone Obama nominates will be like Hagel or Obama won't nominate that person.
Although a new candidate may never have said anything that Hagel has said, it doesn't mean that he will not do as Hagel would. Any new candidate will, if appointed, serve Obama, not Israel.
Under Obama why should we expect any cabinet member to support Israel? And if we get one who claims to support Israel, wouldn't that be most suspicious?
I am not saying McCain is right, because he is not saying what I am saying, or is he?
Joellen| 2.18.13 @ 9:33AM
mccain is a RINO - enought said.
HR| 2.18.13 @ 12:38PM
And he's proven it time and again. And will AZ conservatives re-elect him yet again? I'm not the optimistic type to begin with-- less and less so when it comes to the Republican party.
Patrick in Michigan | 2.18.13 @ 12:39PM
Maybe McCain is getting tired of the Jew right, like everyone else.
TLP| 2.18.13 @ 6:31PM
Hi Jack.
Oldefarte| 2.18.13 @ 1:02PM
86% of American Jews voting for Obama in 2008[and 69% in 2012] are bad enough, but I'm firmly convinced from the below that Jews worldwide are most probably in serious need of psychiatric counceling:
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfro...../id/490839
Bob K| 2.18.13 @ 1:55PM
These honorariums are simply diplomatic ego stroking. They are issued very often to self important narcissists who go around the world pontificating while seeking them. Witness Jimmy Carter, Al Gore and others like them.
TLP| 2.18.13 @ 6:32PM
I couldn't agree with you, more.
How ya doin, old timer?
We missed you this weekend.
spike59| 2.19.13 @ 5:46AM
RINOs of a feather stick together
Martin kzovich| 2.19.13 @ 7:50AM
I have two thoughts on McCain: One is that he is a loser because he has shown little backbone except to defeat his Conservative opponents. Two,there are so many things to fight Obama over how do you you decide exactly where you draw the line in the sand,?
However in the case of Obama it is everywhere.