Obama nominates Hagel for DoD: “The leader our troops deserve”

posted at 4:01 pm on January 7, 2013 by Erika Johnsen

As Ed previewed this morning, President Obama nominated Chuck Hagel to replace Leon Panetta at the Department of Defense, as well as John Brennan to take over at the CIA, at the White House on Monday afternoon. Here’s the full vid, for your viewing pleasure (and here’s the transcript):

 

Why President Obama seems so inclined to be borderline belligerent with insisting upon Hagel’s nomination is still a head-scratcher for me, since Republicans in the Senate have made it all too clear that Hagel’s successful appointment is far from a sure thing, unless Obama is dead set against the perception that he’s been cowed by the GOP for a second time on a potential nomination. I’m with Sen. Portman on this one:

I am surprised and disappointed President Obama has chosen to move forward with Senator Hagel’s nomination given the significant concerns that both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate have expressed about Senator Hagel’s positions and past votes on issues regarding some of our closest allies and most pressing national security threats.  I believe Senator Hagel should get a fair look and an opportunity to defend his record, his past comments, and his current beliefs, but I don’t understand why the Administration is looking to pick yet another political fight instead of working with Congress to solve some of the very real problems we face as a country.

Panetta, at least, seemed like he was in good spirits — I’d guess that the novelty of dealing with all of the political punting on the sequestration cuts and the subsequently ongoing uncertainty over the Pentagon’s budget has worn off somewhat.

As for me, after close to 50 years of serving the American people — began in 1964 when I served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army, and then in both the legislative and executive branch positions in Washington — the time has come for me to return to my wife Sylvia, our three sons, their families, our six grandchildren, and my walnut farm — (laughter) — dealing with a different set of nuts.

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davidk on May 20, 2013 at 6:20 AM

I’m starting to believe there isn’t anything too far fetched to believe with this administration. I remember the Jack Ryan incident. The crazy part? The Illinois GOP powers-that-be backed away and then destroyed their own candidate. The Dems play for keeps. The GOP doesn’t have the intestinal fortitude to fight them.

Ajackson, great information and analysis, as usual.

I still just sit here and shake my head. This is crazy, futuristic dystopian stuff going on in this administration and so many people are oblivious to all it. And, Obama’s minions find it “offensive” to challenge him. *shaking my head*

Fallon on May 20, 2013 at 8:31 AM

I’m starting to believe there isn’t anything too far fetched to believe with this administration.

Fallon on May 20, 2013 at 8:31 AM

Fast and Furious alone already told us this, and that’s just one head of 0dumba’s hydra!

Keep your popcorn ready – there’s more to come!

Anti-Control on May 20, 2013 at 8:36 AM

Senate Judiciary – Immigration amendments
http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/

House Gov. Reform Oversight Hearings – IRS Wed. 5/23
http://oversight.house.gov/release/oversight-announces-irs-hearing-next-week/

Commerce (HHS)
http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/look-ahead-committee-announces-hearing-schedule-week-may-20

workingclass artist on May 20, 2013 at 8:45 AM

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 6:24 AM

Could Borowitz actually parody Zero with those QUOTES, and get away with it ?
Did Preezy truly say those things ?
Praps I need to suffer through the address, to know for sure ?

pambi on May 20, 2013 at 9:11 AM

Bingo: Obama and the IRS: The Smoking Gun?

According to the White House Visitors Log, provided here in searchable form by U.S. News and World Report, the president of the anti-Tea Party National Treasury Employees Union, Colleen Kelley, visited the White House at 12:30pm that Wednesday noon time of March 31st.

This scam is being run through the greedy-union management structure, which thanks to an Executive Order signed by the REB, cannot be FOIA’d.

The Republicans have to put the greedy-union org structure on the wall and work their way through it like Mafia investigators do.

slickwillie2001 on May 20, 2013 at 9:15 AM

President Obama’s professed ignorance of the targeting of conservatives by one government agency and his support of tracking journalists’ sources by another highlight one of the great paradoxes of his presidency: Sometimes he uses his office as aggressively as anyone who’s held it; other times he seems unacquainted with the work of his own administration.

I nominate this one for the Butterfield Effect award.

Maybe we should help the writer out?

It’s called plausible deniability. He uses the office more aggressively than anyone who’s ever held it, then pretends ignorance when caught. Fortunately, absolutely no one is so stupid as to buy the innocent act.

Oh, wait…..

There Goes the Neighborhood on May 20, 2013 at 10:19 AM

Just four months after his second inauguration, the president is buffeted by gushing investigations, smug and deranged Republicans, and cat-who-ate-the-canary conspiracists. The man who promised in 2008 to make government cool again is instead batting away charges that he has made government “Nixonian” again…

It turns out that Treasury officials knew during the 2012 campaign that an investigation into the targeting was going on. But, enhancing his image as a stranger in a strange land, the president said he learned about it from news reports on May 10. Then he waited three days to descend from the mountain and express outrage…

The president should try candid; wistful and petulant aren’t getting him anywhere. The Republicans who are putting partisan gain above solving the country’s problems deserve a smackdown.

Speaking of awards, this one ought to win Maureen Down an “unintentional humorist” award. The president targets his political enemies, and the only outrage she can muster is those nasty Republicans who are, in her mind, taking advantage of the scandal.

There Goes the Neighborhood on May 20, 2013 at 10:22 AM

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