Schumer Says He’s Satisfied With Hagel on Mideast

[oberliner]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — In a boon for the Obama administration’s efforts to advance the nomination Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the first senator to meet privately with Mr. Hagel, told President Obama Tuesday that he is optimistic that he could vote for Mr. Hagel’s confirmation based on his grilling of Mr. Hagel on a variety of issues pertaining to Israel and Iran.

Mr. Schumer, the most influential Jewish member of the Senate, said he would await Senate confirmation hearings before making his final decision on Mr. Hagel, a Republican and former senator who was nominated last week. But after a 90-minute meeting in the West Wing of the White House on Monday, Mr. Schumer appeared to be mollified on a number of concerns he has with some votes Mr. Hagel made while serving in the Senate and myriad comments he has subsequently made regarding the nuclear threat of Iran and other matters.

“Based on several key assurances provided by Senator Hagel,” Mr. Schumer said in a prepared statement, “I am currently prepared to vote for his confirmation. I encourage my Senate colleagues who have shared my previous concerns to also support him.” Mr. Schumer is likely to have influence over many of his Senate colleagues, particularly Democrats, who have been fretting over the nomination. He called Mr. Hagel Tuesday morning to let him know he was prepared to support him.

While Mr. Schumer’s nod is unsurprising, it may be helpful to Mr. Hagel’s pursuit of the defense job, effectively neutralizing the idea that he is somehow anti-Israel. His nomination has been met with suspicion, and even outright hostility, among Republicans and Democrats who are strongly aligned with pro-Israel groups.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/us/politics/schumer-says-hes-satisfied-with-hagel-on-mideast.html?_r=0

[TwilightGardener]

1. The neocons have moved on, they are working the "temperament" angle now.

[oberliner]

2. You think Hagel will get confirmed though, right?

I would be very surprised if he didn't.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Probably. But they are almost certainly going to dig up

at least a few GOP Senate aides to say he yelled at them or whatever. And who knows what other skeletons could come out--affairs with interns, drinking, etc. I doubt it, at this point, but you never know. Edit to add: if Hagel goes down, they'd prefer it NOT to have anything to do with Israel, is what I'm saying.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. He's a Republican who dutifully votes for any war he is asked to support, opposed to choice and

homophobic as hell. Of course they will confirm him. Sad but true.

[iandhr]

5. He actually became a critic of the war as time went on.

There was an article in The NY TIMES about how the relationship between Hagel and McCain soured.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/12/us/politics/mccain-and-hagel-once-friends-and-now-estranged.html?_r=0

Hen accompanied then Senator Obama on his trip to the middle east when he was a candidate in 2008. He didn't endorse anyone in 2008 but his wife publicly endorsed Obama.

People can evolve for the better.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Lots of people eventually became critical of the war they at first supported, that is not a selling

point. It is just self preservation. A Sec of Defense who voted for the most irresponsible and illegal war in our history does not make me comfortable. Obama called that war 'a stupid war' now he nominates one of the backers of that stupid an murderous war. 23 Senate peers of Hagels did not fall for the ginned up evidence and they voted NO.
Being right in advance of the obviousness of the position is called 'skill' or 'wisdom' or 'talent'. Being right after years of endless death and no progress is called 'seeing the writing on the wall' and it is not really that big of a deal.
I'm opposed to rewarding those who failed to do the right thing with more power over the very area they were so miserably wrong in when it mattered. Thousands died, real humans. The yes voters should not be in charge of the next round of wars of choice.
Do you think we can afford more 'errors of judgment' of the Iraq scale? I don't. Can we afford again to be 'right' only after several years of carnage and expense? I don't think so.

[iandhr]

7. With Hagel I think he has genuinely learned a lesson.

Why do you think his statements show more caution on Iran then the President in terms of attacking Iran.


This is just what you want in a Secretary of DOD.

Some one who looks into the past sees his past error in judgments and takes a hard lesson and changes.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Then I hope you are writing your Senators to vote "no" on John Kerry.

[Inuca]

10. Did not see your post

when I posted mine below

[TwilightGardener]

11. ...

[Inuca]

9. Are you also against Kerry?

Against Hillary Clinton? Both also voted for the Iraq war. You seem to be on an anti-Hagel crusade...