The American Spectator

I’m with Quin when he argues that the Senate was derelict in its duty where it concerned President Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. 

Sadly, I am not surprised at Hagel’s confirmation. Any doubt that he would confirmed was removed when John McCain opened his mouth on Meet the Press nine days ago. Democratic Senators were calling the White House to ask when Hagel was going to withdraw his nomination. Hagel was on the ropes only to have McCain tell the world that he is going to be confirmed. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. 

Despite the fact that McCain opposed Hagel’s nomination and asked him tough questions during his confirmation hearing he was nevertheless greatly responsible for Hagel being where he is today.

Look at it this way. If President Obama could he would have appointed himself Secretary of Defense. Given that Obama thinks he is a better speechwriter than his speechwriters and a better policy director than his policy director, it stands to reason that the President thinks he is his own best Defense Secretary. 

But since even Obama couldn’t get away with appointing himself Secretary of Defense, the next best thing is to appoint the ultimate yes man. The fact that this yes man hates Israel and loves the Mullahs is icing on the cake. The most candid thing Hagel said during his confirmation hearing was that he “I won’t be in a policy making position.”

Obama is looking to weaken our national defense and do so through a man who has never conjured an original thought in his life other than to express views to give comfort to our enemies. This demands Senate Republicans fight this appointment with vigorous zeal and to do so all the way. Their failure to do makes them complicit in the weakening of our military and our ability to defend our interests at home and abroad.