Is White House Backing Down on Hagel?
Criticism of Former Senator's Lack of Hawkishness Fuels Speculation
Though the Obama Administration has been tight-lipped on the possibility of nominating former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R – NE) as the next Secretary of Defense, refusing to even confirm he was ever the leading candidate, unconfirmed reports suggest he may already be falling out of favor.
The reports cite an unnamed administration official saying that President Obama was looking at other candidates to avoid a battle after several senators publicly vowed that Hagel’s confirmation would be “difficult” because of his insufficiently hawkish positions.
Virtually from the moment his name was mentioned, an hysterical level of opposition has come out, centering on Hagel not being enamored with the idea of attacking Iran, and speculation that he wouldn’t be nearly the shill for Israel that someone in that position would be expected to be.
Former Undersecretary of Defense Michele Flournoy has been pushed as the primary alternative candidate, someone sufficiently uninteresting and mainstream that virtually everyone can get behind her. Today’s report came with the assumption that if Hagel is indeed being soured on it puts Flournoy into the position by default.
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Anti_Govt_Rebel
December 24th, 2012 at 9:33 pm
A Michele Flournoy nomination reminds me of George Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers to be a Supreme Court justice.
TheoBaumann
December 24th, 2012 at 10:42 pm
The White House wants to appoint Hagel without prior approval from Israel. How dare they ! Out of the question !
hidflect
December 24th, 2012 at 11:08 pm
Hopeless. Obama folds his full house against a pair of douches… again. And again. And again.
Jordanian
December 25th, 2012 at 12:28 am
Like always, Netanyahu wins.
El Tonno
December 25th, 2012 at 2:08 am
The Prez knows that pretty good backbones can be had the nearest meat renderer, right?
Roger Lafontaine
December 25th, 2012 at 2:56 am
They started weak and ended up beaten (and we knew they would).
richard vajs
December 25th, 2012 at 3:58 am
I don't know much about the woman, but Michele Flournoy sounds like what used to be called in boxing circles as a "ham-and-egger" – a wore-out hack reduced to the state where they will step into the ring in exchange for a hearty meal. This country is going to Hell on the installment plan – nothing quick or spectacular; just a constant, regular deposit of honor and guts into a trash bin.
Truthster
December 25th, 2012 at 6:52 am
Her appt is now being pitched by NPR as a victory for women's rights!
Yikes. Equal rights to commit mass murder.
mojo
December 25th, 2012 at 9:04 am
Peace is the essence of human life's, in this time of our life we need peace to survive.
richard vajs
December 25th, 2012 at 11:21 am
I looked up Michele Flournoy on Wikipedia – she is another striver like Hillary – a connected person willing to park her ethics at the door of opportunity. She was born into "connections" – she graduated from Beverly Hills High School, got pulled into Harvard and then Oxford and then with the proper Yuppie creds, climbed the short (for connected folks like her, it is short) ladder to success at prestigious institutions and upper level Government sinecures inventing nothing, building nothing, producing nothing but politically desirable horse manure.
MvGuy
December 25th, 2012 at 11:50 am
The more they "WIN" …… the more they lose……. Check out the MAP here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp…
If this is what victory looks like it's time for medical intervention…. The worlds No. 1 Welfare Queen's charms have political STDs…………….. and these germs are in ALL of OUR DNA………. but to be avoided like a dungeon….!!!
"Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad."
Augustbrhm
December 25th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
israel really runs rotten to the core america "PITY"
MvGuy
December 25th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Yes but only for some….. and you know what is envisioned…. As in….. Not YOU or YOURS …
MvGuy
December 25th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Which "we" do you mean…. The "we" in We the people, or the "we" We the "Exceptional???"