Chuck Hagel mentioned for spot in Obama administration

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

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Watchdog

Interesting.  I still think John Kerry's going to be picked, but if not...

[morgieb]

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Watchdog

Interesting.  I still think John Kerry's going to be picked, but if not...

Kerry might be SOS, Hagel might be Defence. So they can both get picked if we want to.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Picking Chuck Hagel as his Secretary of Defense/State would be the best thing Obama has done his entire administration.  He should've done it in 2009.

[Maxwell]

Hagel would be a brilliant choice, and I would applaud the Obama administration if they actually made that call.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Hagel would be excellent at the Pentagon.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

A Republican for Secretary of Defense? What a novel idea.

/sarcasm

[morgieb]

A Republican for Secretary of Defense? What a novel idea.

/sarcasm

Hagel's hardly a hawk like the other Republicans....

[Svensson]

A Republican for Secretary of Defense? What a novel idea.

/sarcasm

He says, not realizing Hagel is as anti-war as Republicans get without being off the far end of unelectable.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

A Republican for Secretary of Defense? What a novel idea.

/sarcasm

He says, not realizing Hagel is as anti-war as Republicans get without being off the far end of unelectable.

Hagel sometimes said something that sounded sane, but does that really make him anti-war?

[Svensson]

A Republican for Secretary of Defense? What a novel idea.

/sarcasm

He says, not realizing Hagel is as anti-war as Republicans get without being off the far end of unelectable.

Hagel sometimes said something that sounded sane, but does that really make him anti-war?

You'll find his record on both the war and the PATRIOT Act plain to see on Wikipedia, with plenty of references cited. He's enough of a pacifist that he would be absolutely butchered in a Republican primary nowadays.

EDIT: Scratch that bit about the PATRIOT Act. I'm always confused by the ones who come out against legislation long after they vote for it.

[politicallefty]

I'd have no problem at all with Chuck Hagel joining the Obama Administration. I've always thought he was one of the better Republicans. I still agree with others that Kerry is probably getting State, though the realities of the Senate seat complicate things a bit.

[morgieb]

In fact, I'd argue Hagel's more left-wing on foreign policy than Obama.

[minionofmidas]

See, unlike Romney or Clinton or whatever, this actually makes sense.

[Brittain33]

Hagel would be fine for a Cabinet position, but it's still annoying the presumption that Defense should go to a Republican because they are identified with the military. Obama has reversed the perception of party strength on that issue for the first time since I don't know when, the 1940s?

[Maxwell]

In fact, I'd argue Hagel's more left-wing on foreign policy than Obama.

We need Obama to move to the left on foreign policy, so this is good.

[Speed of Sound]

In fact, I'd argue Hagel's more left-wing on foreign policy than Obama.

We need Obama to move to the left on foreign policy, so this is good.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I'd have no problem with Hagel at State Department.

[Zioneer]

In fact, I'd argue Hagel's more left-wing on foreign policy than Obama.

We need Obama to move to the left on foreign policy, so this is good.

Definitely. Hagel sounds like the best choice, and since it's Defense, we could also have Kerry in State, which would make these two a pretty good Cabinet duo.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

would be awesome if true. I tend to think he'd be better at State.  He has a good mind for international relations and diplomacy - and preventing wars, not just fighting them.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

A Republican for Secretary of Defense? What a novel idea.

/sarcasm

He says, not realizing Hagel is as anti-war as Republicans get without being off the far end of unelectable.

Hagel sometimes said something that sounded sane, but does that really make him anti-war?

You'll find his record on both the war and the PATRIOT Act plain to see on Wikipedia, with plenty of references cited. He's enough of a pacifist that he would be absolutely butchered in a Republican primary nowadays.

EDIT: Scratch that bit about the PATRIOT Act. I'm always confused by the ones who come out against legislation long after they vote for it.

Votes speak louder than words.