The Special Report panel took turns berating former Senator, Chuck Hagel in the wake of his contentious Confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Thursday.
Then Dr. K dripped the hammer; “His problem isn’t a paper trail. His problem is a demonstrated, incredibly remarkable lack of competence,” Charles started. He continued to blast the poor guy for his “astonishing lack of competence”, honesty, and borderline anti-Semitism. He concluded by asking, “is this the best mind that Obama could find to run the largest entity on the face of the earth?
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Yid With Lid: Holy Cow—Hagel Was EMBARRASSING!
Regular readers of this site know that I have not been in favor of former Senator Chuck Hagel’s nomination—but even his biggest detractors did not expect the performance he gave today during his senate confirmation hearings. It wasn’t that he said things that people disagreed with, or got caught with some sort of scandal–he looked totally unprepared and out-classed. He was pathetic.
The guy knew what he would face…his own statements and record, many of them were posted here. Chuck Hagel had weeks to figure out responses–and OH MY GOD, he didn’t even understand what containment means.
PJ Media: Hagel Confirmation Hearing: The Mother of All Bombs:
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped before two congressional committees on Benghazi this month, she was ready for every question fielded at her and, save for the infamous “what does it matter” moment, didn’t crumple under the pressure.
Today, President Obama was likely wishing some of that preparedness would have rubbed off on his Defense secretary nominee.
Chuck Hagel’s confirmation hearing before his former Senate colleagues was, in a nutshell, a minefield despite the simple, predictable questions lobbed his way. In short, he appeared exceptionally uncomfortable and unsure for a man who would command the most powerful military on Earth.
Hagel himself doesn’t matter. He won’t make foreign policy. Obama will run it out of the White House even more tightly than he did in the first term. Hagel’s importance is the message his nomination sends about where Obama wants to go. The lessons are being duly drawn. Iran’s official media have already cheered the choice of what they call this “anti-Israel” nominee. And they fully understand what his nomination signals regarding administration resolve about stopping them from going nuclear.The rest of the world can see coming the Pentagon downsizing — and the inevitable, commensurate decline of U.S. power. Pacific Rim countries will have to rethink reliance on the counterbalance of the U.S. Navy and consider acquiescence to Chinese regional hegemony. Arab countries will understand that the current rapid decline of post-Kissinger U.S. dominance in the region is not cyclical but intended to become permanent.Hagel is a man of no independent stature. He’s no George Marshall or Henry Kissinger. A fringe senator who left no trace behind, Hagel matters only because of what his nomination says about Obama.However the Senate votes on confirmation, the signal has already been sent. Before Election Day, Obama could only whisper it to his friend Dmitry. Now, with Hagel, he’s told the world.
Francis W. Porretto, Liberty’s Torch: A Flip Of The Bird, Obama Style:
Obama might have played a long shot here. Even the Senate’s Democrats will hesitate before awarding him their votes. However, the probability or improbability of Hagel’s confirmation pales before the political importance of his nomination.
Politically, the Hagel nomination does three things:
- It reassures an important component of Obama’s support base that yes, he really does hold America responsible for what’s wrong with the Middle East and the world generally;
- It exerts an intense, unpleasant pressure on the Republican caucus in the Senate, whose members are mostly old-line GOP Establishment loath to criticize a fellow Republican even when he richly deserves it;
- While adhering cosmetically to the tradition of having one Cabinet member from the opposition party, it simultaneously expresses Obama’s contempt for his political adversaries in the clearest possible terms, thereby maddening his opponents and reassuring his more venomous supporters of his intent to destroy all opposition to his rule.
Indeed, that last bit might be the most important part of all in our all-politics-all-the-time milieu.
Obama is no Lincoln. He has no intention of trying to convert his enemies into friends. His overriding aim is to destroy all resistance to his will. Every move he makes, every word he utters must be studied in that light, for they make no sense in any other.
As a divide-to-conquer move, the Hagel nomination is superb. It pits younger, Tea-Party-style Republicans against the older GOP Establishment, widening the gulf and enhancing the prospects for future strife between them. It could only have been more effective if Hagel possessed John McCain’s war-hero status.
Fran, I’m not sure the older GOP establishment was too impressed with Hagel, yesterday. He gave them every excuse to vote against him. It’s a long shot, because when push comes to shove, Obamacrats do what the Master orders, but this nominee was so egregious Repubs may be able to peel away enough of them to filibuster him.
Linked by RightWingNews, thanks!
Nice Deb 