Will any liberals step forward to oppose Hagel?
It will be revealing about the state of liberalism and the condition of the Democratic party if there are none. It wasn’t pleasant in 2005 for conservatives and Republicans to oppose a nominee—in this case a close friend—of a president they supported. It certainly wasn’t pleasant to seem to give any comfort to the president’s critics. Still, to use a corny but apt expression, it was the right thing to do. And a willingness to do it was a sign of the health of American conservatism.
American liberalism shows no such sign of health. Liberals are pretending not to recognize that Hagel is manifestly unqualified. A few have the wit to argue in excuse that associate justice of the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment while secretary of defense is not. On the other hand, the damage an incompetent secretary of defense could do over the next four years is very great.
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Why would they? They all share his views. Iran=good Israel=bad USA=worst.
The Notorious G.O.P on February 2, 2013 at 3:35 PM
…ah no!…they would be stepping on their own ba11s…which they lost decades ago!
KOOLAID2 on February 2, 2013 at 3:37 PM
As much as I dislike Hagel I dislike Bill Kristol far more. The foreign policy of people like Bill Kristol and other Bush era neocons has failed. With the benefit of hindsight we know now that Ron Paul, although not entirely correct, IMO, was much closer to the truth all those years ago than Bill Kristol. Now Bill Kristol and others of his ilk are so far off the rails that they are allied with terrorists in Libya, North Africa and want to arm more in Syria.
Congress is a ship of fools, right and left!
FloatingRock on February 2, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Is that supposed to be a serious question?
Socratease on February 2, 2013 at 3:41 PM
And miss the chance to install an idiot who will do their bidding in degrading the finest military in the world … and who hates Jews too?
Not a chance. They’re so close to killing off the US they’re giddy.
darwin on February 2, 2013 at 3:42 PM
No liberals will do so, no. Liberals have no integrity.
Warner Todd Huston on February 2, 2013 at 3:47 PM
Sure some will. I know Lindsey Graham is already opposed to him.
Gingotts on February 2, 2013 at 3:49 PM
I’m pretty sure that Mr. Kristol’s definition of qualified and a liberal’s definition are two very different things. Liberal are in as long as The Won wants it.
Cindy Munford on February 2, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Are we healthy? They vote in lockstep, they don’t do the right thing, according to this and they are womping us on every front. We are bemoaning the weakness of our message and they have all the power. There’s a disconnect here somewhere.
thebrokenrattle on February 2, 2013 at 4:31 PM
Bill Kristol supports a liberal interventionist foreign policy. Many of the people he calls liberal actually have more conservative foreign policy views than his own.
FloatingRock on February 2, 2013 at 5:30 PM
Hagel supports a Wilsonian interventionist foreign policy. Most neoconservatives are former liberals/Trosyist. Charles Krauthammer, who is revered here, was Walter Mondale’s speech writer.
antifederalist on February 2, 2013 at 5:38 PM
FIFM
antifederalist on February 2, 2013 at 5:41 PM
So he’s no conserative? We should kick him out of the ranks?
thebrokenrattle on February 2, 2013 at 5:46 PM
*conservative
thebrokenrattle on February 2, 2013 at 6:16 PM