Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), as recently as a few days ago, said he would not try to stop an up-or-down vote on Chuck Hagel's Defense Secretary nomination. And then yesterday, he did the exact opposite.
I'm sure he'll be coming soon to a Sunday show near you to explain his thinking, but in the meantime, take a look at what McCain told Fox News' Neil Cavuto after the first-ever instance of a Senate minority blocking a vote on a cabinet nominee.
For those who can't watch clips online, this was the key portion of the senator's comments:
"[T]o be honest with you, Neil, it goes back to there's a lot of ill will towards Senator Hagel because when he was a Republican, he attacked President Bush mercilessly, at one point said he was the worst president since Herbert Hoover, said that the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War, which is nonsense, and was very anti his own party and people. People don't forget that. You can disagree, but if you're disagreeable, then people don't forget that."
It was a fascinating take on recent events because McCain finally put aside his talking points and told the truth: he and his Republican colleagues engaged in obstructionism unseen in American history because ... McCain and his pals hold a grudge.
Keep in mind, cabinet nominees like John Kerry and Hillary Clinton also condemned George W. Bush and opposed the "surge" policy in Iraq, but Kerry and Clinton sailed through the Senate confirmation process with nary an opposition vote.
But that's what makes McCain's comments so fascinating: while Republicans hate Democrats, they really hate Republicans who occasionally side with Democrats. So much so that a guy like McCain -- who previously said he'd consider Hagel for his own cabinet -- is willing to break his word and participate in an unprecedented filibuster.
Before we move on, though, I'd be remiss if I neglected to mention McCain's concerns about those who are "disagreeable."
It's a fact that generally goes unmentioned, but John McCain is not especially well liked by his own colleagues. During his two failed presidential campaigns, there was a noticeable lack of endorsements from other Republican senators -- folks who've worked with him every day for years, if not decades -- who threw their support to almost anyone else.
There's no mystery as to why, exactly, McCain's colleagues don't really like McCain
* In a "heated dispute over immigration-law overhaul" [in 2007], McCain screamed at Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), "F*** you!" He added, "This is chickens*** stuff.... You've always been against this bill, and you're just trying to derail it." [5/19/07]
* In a discussion over the "fate of Vietnam MIAs," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asked McCain, "Are you calling me stupid?" "No," replied McCain, "I'm calling you a f***ing jerk!" [Newsweek, 2/21/00]
* At a GOP meeting in fall 1999, McCain "erupted" at Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and shouted, "Only an a**hole would put together a budget like this." When Domenici expressed his outrage, McCain responded, "I wouldn't call you an a**hole unless you really were an a**hole." [Newsweek, 2/21/00]
This guy has the gall to say, "You can disagree, but if you're disagreeable, then people don't forget that"? Even for McCain, the irony is rich.
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He can't survive without promoting some kind of a war, as far as Bush goes, Hagal was right on the money, too bad McCain can't remember which house he lives in. Being two faced doesn't cut it if you are representing the American people.
Gee, McCain sounds just like Obama's former chief of staff. The one thinking about running for President. This is also one reason McCain lost his Presidential bid. He is just as obnoxious as Hagel.
And the proof arrives! Thank you shi,,shooter for such a fine demonstration.
There is a lot of difference in the job descriptions between a Senator and a Chief of Staff. Still that said I have to agree with Shooter.
Two quick thoughts. Notice that McGrumpy says "when he was a Republican." I thought he still is a Republican. Shooter did you guys drum Hagel out of the party? I missed that. Was there pomp and pagentry? Did somebody pull the insignia off his Republican uniform?
Second, if memory serves Hagel was active in McGrumpy's 2008 campaign. I remember seeing Hagel shaking the old guys hand at some event. Didn't all these transgressions happen before that nomination?
Rahm Emanuel is thinking of running for President?!? Where did you hear that, Shooter? Given how unhappy Chicagoans are with his performance as mayor, I just can't see it. (Of course, the people of Massachusetts didn't like Governor Romney much more than we like our mayor and he was able to run, so you never know.)
And Republicans have proven yet again that they are completely unqualified to have any say in running this country, repeatedly abdicating their role in government by using partisan tricks and obstinacy to stall and fight and embarrass for no other reason than their own political advancement. Chuck Hagel is more than appropriate to be secretary of defense, with a sterling record and a clear mind to combat the return of neocon ideology. The GOP has a personal vendetta against this man for the sole reason being that he dared to oppose the neo-cons and their foreign policy disasters when the rest of the party cheered them. The country cannot move forward until this repetitive conservative intransigence is taken care of. - progressive
Hey McCain follow the Pope's example
"After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited" to the demands of being
the popea senator."Childish" doesn't even come close - and it would offend the aimless sillyness of small children. These guys are evil out of stupidity.
God bless these United states of America...
I think it goes both ways.
Some Republicans, like the anti-science Teabaggers, start out stupid but become evil as they fight to implement their dogmatic agenda.
Other Republicans start out evil as they do the bidding of their billionaire masters and corporate johns, but they are forced to embrace the stupid, anti-reality delusions of their troglodyte base.
Which brings up the classic ...Stupid or Evil ? from the daily show . Starts @ 5:50 of this clip
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-23-2010/the-parent-company-trap
Per Senator McCrap, Hagel is against his 'own people'. Does that mean that Hagel is against white people or against rich and powerful white people?
Hagel is against "stupid old white men in power with their contemptible lust for war". McShame is just bitter that Hagel was right in his opposition to "the party"....
When, I heard him say that my first thought was are these guys in middle school? By high school most people learn to get along, but these guys are like a bunch of 11 year old kids.
Studies show Alzheimer's isn't discretionary about what part of the brain will be impaired. In McCain's case the ego zone is doing just fine.
I think Hagel would have sailed it through, but for the fact that Republicans were extremely offended by Obama's speech the other night - especially the part about "manufactured crises". "You want manufactured crises. Well take this!"
If Hagel was going to sail through he would have been at the SOTU as Sec. of Defense. He's been lingering for weeks.
This doesn't have anything to do with the SOTU speech.
I think this is less about Hagel than it is about Obama and Benghazi. Lindsey Graham admitted the other day that he knows Hagel will eventually be confirmed, he just wants more answers about Benghazi and figures the only way to get them is to hold up every nomination until his curiosity is satisfied. This is truly one record-making and record-breaking Congress but NOT in a good way. When your party is running out of relevance, you'll find any way to obstruct. Absolutely pitiful.
Graham doesn't want more answers about Benghazi; he's already gotten them; he's just posturing for the Neanderthal vote in the South Carolina primary.
Exactly. He doesn't want actual information; there's no information that would satisfy him because he just wants to keep his pretend-scandal alive.
The difference between a conspiracy theory and an actual allegation of conspiracy is that a conspiracy theory expands to encompass any information that might be used to disprove it.
May, 2005. Then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist threatens using the "nuclear option" because Democrats had been holding up W's judicial nominations not letting them come to a vote.
McGrumpy becomes a member of the "gang of 14" that prevented this from happening.
Just less that 8 years later, McGrumpy LEADS a filibuster against a cabinet appointee.
Paraphrasing the McCarthy hearings. Sir, is there no level to which you will sink?
McCain is a really bitter and disagreeable man. His downhill slide began in 2000 when he lost to Bush and has only accelerated since he lost to Obama. What will his legacy be when he leaves the senate? He doesn't appear to be concerned.
His "downhill slide" seems to have started a lot earlier -- at birth, perhaps?
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/make-believe-maverick-20081016
Really interesting article. Sounds like "at birth" is right. Thanks for posting link!
Obviously MSNBC is using the guise of "news" to push the point of view of their superiors in the Democrat Campaign Committee. But like a stopped clock -- by accident they are right every now and then.
The President deserves whoever he wants on his Cabinet. This is a tantrum by the Republicans because the President and departments of Defense and State colluded to hide Benghazi facts and actions from Americans to win an election. They won! It's over! There is no law against lying. Everybody involved is no longer in a position to testify.
Save the filibuster for when the Senate tries to sink the country with an "agenda". This stupidity just gives credence to the President's 2014 Campaign that the GOP is the seed of the devil made up of old, gun-toting anarchists intent on stopping a superior being's Fundamentally Changing America in a way only he sees.
"...the President's 2014 Campaign that the GOP is the seed of the devil made up of old, gun-toting anarchists ..."
You forgot "white, male"
And this would be wrong how?
Two out of three ain't bad.
...
Ms Maddow was incorrect last night when she opened the show with no President has ever had his nomination for cabinet "blocked by a minority in the Senate." That is incorrect. It happened in February 1985 as reported here by the AP:
There were a couple of issues involved but the minority in the Senate (Democrats at the time) DID block the President's nomination for cabinet. It didn't last and Meese was eventually confirmed (which is what is predicted to happen with the Hagel nomination) but it HAS happened before!
Someone is going to claim "false eqivalence," someone is going to say, "quit trolling," and others will just passively dismiss my comments. Would love to see a correct, though.
In the case of Edwin Meese, the Dems were right
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedtech_scandal
According to The Hill, nominees chosen by Republican administrations were successfully filibustered by Democrats were:
Dirk Kempthorne for secretary of the Interior in 2006
Robert J. Portman for U.S. Trade Representative in 2005
Stephen L. Johnson for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2005
Michael O. Leavitt for EPA Administrator in 2003
C. William Verity for secretary of Commerce in 1987.
Every one of these and primary support for each filibuster came from Democrats in the Senate including, in some cases, current President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Secretary of State Kerry and former Secretary of State Clinton.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/the-administration/282335-its-not-unprecedented-to-filibuser-cabinet-nominees
If filibusters occurred in those cases, as you claim, point me to the congressional record that backs that claim up, not news organizations.
Like this:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00021
Now you go.
The "article" from the Hill, linked by surly:
It's not unprecedented to filibuster cabinet nominees
By Will Bennett, board member, Americans for a Strong Defense - 02/12/13 07:30 AM ET
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/maddow-liberal-opposition-group-running-ads
Maddow: 'Liberal' Group Running Anti-Hagel Ads Probable Fake
We KNOW the record -- do your own homework. I'll even give you a start: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/clotureCounts.htm
I doubt that you know WHERE to go from there though...
Let's see...Marko admits to the facts but says in essence, it was different because the Democrats were justified (in other words, he agrees with there position but not the Republicans). The old, "yea, but that was different defense."
surly, offers more evidence that it is not unprecedented (although I haven't looked at the specifics of all those to know if it was the minority who held up the cabinet nomination, the attempts were definately there).
And, Rollo, says he wants more proof. Votes and roll call have changed over the years...So, Rollo, I don't see a vote for cloture in the 99th congress record...I'll have to read a little more to understand why. I do know just because there was no cloture vote, does not mean there was not a filibuster...let me see what I can find.
In the mean time, are you doubting the AP's report? You can find it from other sources as well...it involved a farm bill and holding up the nomination (in part) was being used as leverage. I'm not making this stuff up, you know.
(Surly, I try never to dismiss anyone who wants proof or source. Too often people here dismiss my posts without cause. I'm always happy to try and welcome fact based conversations...it may be this afternoon Rollo before I can get time to respond.)
You're right, of course. I just never could stand Edwin Meese.
Someone should start telling the American public the truth about their "war" hero. He got shot down and captured because he disobeyed an order. What is going on now is a mean spirited ignorant loser. He is the kind of bully society is fed up with. He lies with impunity and has proven that his word means nothing. Remember he gave you all Sarah Palin. Proving once again the bitter old washed up white man really needs to be put out to pasture. The People of Arizona need to elect an new honest politician.
The people of Arid-zona are more concerned with hating Mexicans and where/when the next margaritas or bible study begins to sludge forth. Broad brush too much? I don't think so..
So, Grumpy is upset because "...it goes back to there's a lot of ill will towards Senator Hagel because when he was a Republican, he attacked President Bush mercilessly, at one point said he was the worst president since Herbert Hoover, said that the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War" In other words, he spoke truth to power. Guess what, Grandpa, you lost in 2008! You're not in the White House, despite what David Gregory and Bob Schieffer may tell you on Sunday mornings. Now, can you just go away!
Excuse me, but does anyone remember we wouldn't be having this little approval hang up if Harry "Ican'tgrabmbuttwithbothhands" Reid would have done his job and changed the Senate rules on the filibuster, like he promised? How's that "gentleman's agreement" working out for you, Harry? For the rest of us it sucks, and it's just the beginning.
McCain lecturing about being disagreeable is like Lindsey Lohan lecturing about being irresponsible.
So basically McCain's holding a grudge?
For McCain to call someone disagreeable is pure chutzpah.
To Republicans to disagree is to be disagreeable.
Hagel was not completely right about Geo. W. Bush being the worst President since Herbert Hoover. Geo. W. Bush was the worst president ever and that includes Buchannan.
Thus, Hagel did not commit the gravest sin that a Republican can commit, i.e. telling the truth. He only told a half truth.
Like most of Arizany, McCain is a certifiable whack-job. He's a PTSD addled, angry, old man who has been living off the largess of his booze-rich wife since he first carpetbagged his way into office. Just another bozo on the Republican bus.
In McCain's defense, Pete Domenici really was an a--hole.