2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumP. Beinart - Why Hagel laid down
Interesting analysis. Maybe I find it interesting because it mirrors my own thoughts as I was watching the disgraceful grilling. Worth sharing, so here you go.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/01/why-hagel-laid-down.html
Why did Chuck Hagel perform so poorly before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday? Perhaps because his Obama administration handlers urged him to be something hes not. The real Hagel is a curious combination of raw emotion and international relations theory abstraction. On the one hand, hes known for getting angry, especially when people who know little about the realities of war imply that hes not tough enough on Americas foes. Knowing that, Hagels former Republican colleagues were clearly hoping to goad him into some kind of eruption. Tennessees Bob Corker had already warned that Hagels "overall temperament" would be an issue at the hearings.
Pab Sungenis
(9,612 posts)I thought you meant did the honorable thing and withdrew his name from nomination.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)Pab Sungenis
(9,612 posts)for one thing.
For another, we DON'T need another Republican in a Democratic administration Especially at the Pentagon.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)And the fact that he's a Republican who is HATED by the likes of McCain, Graham, and the teabaggers tells me Obama made a good choice.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Why should he be nominated at all?
jenmito
(37,326 posts)Last edited Sun Feb 3, 2013, 03:47 PM - Edit history (1)
the Iraq War, who testified he will faithfully carry out OBAMA'S policies, and who is hated by all the hawks and teabaggers. The fact that he's a Republican (who served in Vietnam) gives cover to the admin. when they want to get out of Afghanistan sooner, cut spending for the military, and other things Repubs. attack Dems. for.
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)Or maybe he was sick. Glad he didn't blow up at Johnny but he really didn't seem himself. Liked what he had to say though.
patrice
(47,992 posts)LiberalFighter
(50,943 posts)to rile any of the Senate committee members. It is absolutely necessary to demonstrate composure no matter how stupid the questions or person asking the questions. Hillary was able to fight back a little this past week because she wasn't a nominee.
It is no different then when a person is applying for a job.
SunSeeker
(51,571 posts)TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)no matter how much they wanted to validate the smears they threw at him for two months beforehand. And maintain his composure and not lose his temper, which they were obviously trying to make him do. He'd already submitted his answers to the committee via his questionnaire (112 pages worth) which should be in the Senate record, so the hearing (why 8 hours, Carl Levin?) was just supposed to be more of the same of what he'd submitted--of course, they weren't. It was one GOP gotcha moment after another, and requests to keep the Ohio class submarine industry going. He looked very tired, but stoic and extremely careful, and didn't make any bad TV moments. (He did misspeak once, but corrected it for the record.) There were no headlines besides the exchange with McCain. I was disappointed that apparently someone connected to the WH complained about his messaging on Iran--fuck them, Hagel's been speaking on Iran for decades now, and his position is the same as Obama's and he made that clear. That's not the way to support your people, Obama administation.
Inuca
(8,945 posts)(have not done that in a while, and now two in a row , Charlie Pierce on the same subject? http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251283311
Great fun and a good way to let some steam out for people that, like you & me, are frustrated by the whole disgusting performance.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)just saw on the twitter machine that Sen. Johanns is a yes on Hagel. As somebody else put it, it's a BFD.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)Hagel helped him win his Senate seat, after all.
Jennicut
(25,415 posts)That hearing addressed very little about the actual military.