Associated Press
When it comes to the Senate's "advise and consent" role on cabinet nominees, this really isn't a constructive development.
Two U.S. senators have written a letter to Chuck Hagel to ask the defense secretary nominee to explain his assertion that "the State Department was becoming an adjunct of the Israeli Foreign Ministry." Hagel, the Washington Free Beacon reported yesterday, made the comment in 2007.
"Dear Senator Hagel," Senators Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte write. "Yesterday, the Washington Free Beacon reported that in a 2007 speech at Rutgers University regarding America's relationship with the Middle East you remarked that 'the State Department was becoming an adjunct of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.' According to notes posted on the internet by a Republican political consultant and supporter of yours, George Ajjan, you made the remarks during the question and answer period following the speech."
So, let's take stock. A strange website with a troubled reputation published an unsubstantiated rumor about something Chuck Hagel is accused of having said in 2007. There is no proof that Hagel made the comment or anything like it, but two Republican senators nevertheless demanded an explanation.
In other words, for Graham and Ayotte, there's nothing odd about effectively saying, "We heard some unsubstantiated rumor on a website we know little about, and we expect you to take it seriously and provide us with an immediate explanation."
Can anyone seriously consider this a healthy development for the American political process?
I'm trying to imagine the next time there's a Republican president, and he or she nominates a cabinet nominee Democrats don't like. I wonder what the reaction might be if two Senate Dems wrote a letter to the nominee saying, "A left-wing blog called Jim's Rumor Shack.com reports you said something provocative several years ago, and though there's no proof and the website has no credibility, we believe you have a responsibility to respond."
And yet, because Washington has become so deeply silly, Hagel went ahead and denounced the comments he has no recollection of making, which in turn made Lindsey Graham happy.
How gracious of him.
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Another continuation of the failed premise that the American people are as dumb as the Republican base. Rubio is on the same binder, this wacky notion that people take Republicans at their word...
Miss Graham proves every time she opens her mouth that those people really are as stupid as their accents make them sound.
We need to vote out these fools asap . . . I hope we progressives have learned our lessons about the mistake of sitting out midterm elections. These folks are not ready for prime time (except McCain who is well past his prime and should retire.)
There is a long and inglorious history behind gaining the 'Advice and Consent' of the Senate.
President Washington, not having any history to fall back on, actually went to the Senate to discuss a proposed treaty with the Cree Indian Nation. His experience with the Senators was such that he never set foot in the Senate again and demanded up or down votes without discussion or negotiation on treaties and nominations from that point on.
So Senators Graham and Ayotte are following in a 220+year tradition of petty disfunction.
No biggee, but: Creek Nation. Treaty of New York, 1790.
Relying on my memories, my bad. Thanks for the catch!
Maybe we should follow the money on this. Not Hagel, or just Graham or Ayotte. All senators. We know what they get paid, but if they are fighting this hard to keep a job that they throw all concerns for their image as Caretakers of the Union, what are they getting paid "under the table?" They have zero concern for their images or the facts as long as they beat that primary. I honestly don't think they actually are concerned for the general election. They just want to say the far-right fringe picked them first.
I certainly don't like the rude and over the top way the GOP is behaving toward Sen Hagel, but may I offer this: Maybe Hagel denounced it because he actually said it. Perhaps he recalls saying this and when asked to comment/retract it he did. Maybe if he can minimize the crap he's already getting from his former colleagues/friends then he's taking that road. We all know this isn't so much about Sen Hagel, when it's more about being against President Obama. Any way they can come up with to 'get' the Prez they will pursue it.
What is the freaking difference if he said it or did not? If folks actually think Israel is a factor in choice for Defense Secretary, then they don't understand the job. The job is to implement the Presidents policy and to keep the public safe. The personal comments are irrelevant, Obama wants Hagel, that is the issue.
All this ignorant, uninformed and hypocritical political posturing by senators like Graham, Ayotte, and McCain are the salient and determining factor behind our broken congress. These senators know full well what the position of Defence Secretary involves. They know that Hegel is bound to carry out the policies of the commander in chief. Even if Hegel were the most anti-Israel man on earth, it would make no difference. He is duty bound to follow the president's orders.
They are using ideology, revenge, and personal vendettas to mess with a once functioning system that throughout history worked a certain way. To me, this is subversive and someone needs to end it. There surely must be a governing law that can be applied to eliminate this egregious activity by people who want to do nothing but obstruct the government of the United States.
Our country is paying too high a price to allow this to continue. Where are the grown ups in the room? There are so many serious problems facing this country and we allow our few, scarce senate hours to tick away on nonsense from these outrageous ideologues and crybabies with their made-up grievances.
The most direct solution is to end the filibuster and anonymous holds in the Senate.
Everything should come to an up or down majority vote, and the Senators should be held responsible for their public and recorded votes.
Now the conference at Brussels has no Defence Secretary from America. These are dangerous times we live in and this outrageous behaviour from our congress has potentially deadly consequences and needs to end.
I still cannot get over Reid giving away the filibuster. Now Mitch McConnell and the rest are gloating over their ability to thwart anything the President of the United States needs to do to help keep the country safe and functioning.
It is just unbelievable.
The whole idea was to NOT have a Defense Secretary from America at that conference so the teatards can blame Obama later. Memories are short, yanno.
We need to remove the caffeine from the T-Party.
There is no such thing as the "Tea Party." It's the Republican Party. They're one and the same. Have you seen any "Tea Party" folks run as Dems or (except in a couple of marginal cases) Independents?
The fact is, if he did say it, it's true. The Jewish Nazis in Israel have been wagging the American dog far too long.
And AIPAC really does believe they control who sits at Defense and State.
Let us assume for the sake of argument that Hagel really did say it back in 2007. The next question in my list of questions is the last. It can be summarized as follows: SO WHAT?
The comment that has Ms Lindsay's panties in a bunch looks pretty astute from here. Back in 2007 Condi Rice and the United States State Department acted like they were in the pocket of the Israeli government.
Reid and the dem senators have devastated the Obama presidency...when so much could have been accomplished...it won't make much difference 'later on' to end the filibuster...Obama's agenda has been thwarted...unless, in his last 2yrs the dems retake the House and Reid & cohorts end the filibuster...there will be a chance to get done what shoudl have been done in his first 4yrs. Until then we just have more frustration to contend with.
TC, Ron...
I know, you associate the name 'Lindsay' with girls, probably because of Lindsay Lohan... The fact is, Lindsay is one of those rare names, like Dana or Noel, that can be given to both male and female children...
Sen. Lindsay Graham is the elderly gentleman in the picture at the top, not the sexy redhead... Don't know who she is...
In 2007, it was a fact that the State Dept. led by Condi Rice was a cheerleader for Israel. The shameful collaboration with Israel on the 2006 invasion of Lebanon, and the phoney negotiations with the Olmert Goverment led by Tzipi Livni (as documented by the Palestine Papers on Aljazeera) should leave little doubt about the correctness of the charge Hagel made against the Bush headed State Dept.
The cherry on top was Cast Lead, in the final days of that failed Presidency. Condi was buying shoes when Gaza was being crushed.
What's the problem, anyway? Don't Republicans think the State Department should be an adjunct of the Israeli Foreign Ministry?
Bingo!
Actually, many of them are under the impression that Israel is the 51st state.
The problem with Israel is that it is headed by George W. Bush's doppelganger.
Steve there was no need for Senator Hagel to put forth his own opinions about the State Dept's loyalty. He could have just quoted Israeli leaders.
In 2001 shortly after 9/11, Ariel Sharon, the PM of Israel, said this on Israeli Radio in a conversation with Shimon Peres: "Don't worry about American pressure on Israel. We, the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it.
And perhaps Sharon paid for his arrogance as he has been in a coma for years now. Who says that God doesn't listen?
I have seen recent reports that say Sharon is coming back to life.
As a supposed constituent of the Senator from K Street, and now apparently the handmaiden of McCain/Graham, because I live in NH, I am ashamed, livid and generally pissed off at this excuse for a woman.
bloomingpol,
And this pi## poor excuse for a senator as well.
Ladies...
Senator Lindsey Graham's website... Take a good, hard look at the picture at the top...
This is a pretty specific question. I would think it would be fairly easy to clarify. It is not like saying, "Someone once told me that..." Do you remember Senator Reids remarks:
He refused to name the person, the place, the time, etc. I don't remember reading a negative post on Reid's accusation, if there was a critical comment it was in passing while taking the rumored accusation serious.
Rob I was unaware that Harry Reid was up for confirmation in the Senate. Otherwise the old apples vs oranges and strawman vs legit argument rules would apply...
also, Senator Reid's comment was in response to Mr. Romney's refusal to release his tax returns.
Since releasing the returns would have ended the speculation, one must assume there were facts in the returns more embarrassing than not having paid taxes for ten years.
When the title of the posting is "Watching standards fall to new lows" it is not apple to oranges. When Reid says "someone told me" but refuses to name who IS a low.
As to John's point that release the tax returns would end speculation, well, Hagel can say what he said and address this speculation.
Yet another example of a false equality.
The standard being applied to Hagel is new, and if applied to future nominees most likely will sharply restrict the pool of qualified people willing to serve.
The standard of releasing several years of tax returns predated Mr. Romney's run by decades, and originated with his father in 1968.
Rob: Comments during election season simply don't rise to the level of official Senate business no matter how hard you try. In fact all it does is remind people of mitts mendacity and arrogance.
Seems like the only standard these days is any little lie that someone cares to make up. You know, I heard that Lindsey Graham has overdue library books and he has his car repaired by an Al Qaeda mechanic. I demand he prove that these things are not true, and if he does, I still won't believe him because he is a liar. Seems fair to me.
Lebowsky, my view is that almost EVERYTHING in Washington is "election season." While I do think the two are on different planes, you can't tout one and call the other a shame.
As usual , robtroll contradicts himself 2 times in one sentence , that did not even end up making any sense robtroll , even by your own low standards
Romney has access to his tax returns , no one has access to anything Hagel is being scrutinized on , which just makes you a gop tool rob
If you did not come across criticism of Reid's comment, you were not looking.
"Can anyone seriously consider this a healthy development for the American political process?"
Actually other brain dead republicans have no problem thinking like this.
Watching standards fall to new lows
Got that right!! Heck you got a TV show and wrote a book!!!
The founding fathers constructed an elaborate machinery to contain minority factions in congress so as to pursue the common good of the country. Now the pursuit of the common good has vanished and in its place, fanaticism, which has replaced reason and important dialogue.
How long can we run a country this way?
Lindsey Graham and ilk are arrogant self-righteous egotists quick to accuse others of wrong doing, and slinging all the mud they can get their hands on. They do not represent the viewpoint of the majority of Americans! They are an embarassment to society! What happened to the virtues of humility and modesty?
Rick Being, "What happened to the virtues of humility and modesty?"
Plato nailed that: All virtue is one.
They don't have it.
This isn't slinging mud. It is the repetition of a lie that will be repeated in many conservative circles. And then it will take on the mantle of truth by its mere repetition. Republicans use the same tactic when they are claiming Obama and the Dems are "big spenders" of government monies. There is no basis in fact for this lie, but mere repetition makes people believe it is true despite the facts that show it is false. It is also the same tactic the Koch Bros. are using to push the idea to attack Social Security by claiming it is bankrupt.
Tell them we'll cut Social Security right after they pay back all the money the borrowed from it with interest. That should keep them out of our hair for a few dozen years.
I'd think anyone would be proud to have been prescient enough to say what Hagel is being "accused" of. That should strengthen his nomination, not weaken it.
Stop being scared of this stupid Israel crap.
What is really egregious is that everyone knows Hegel will be confirmed, but this circus these senators are putting on takes up scarce senate hours which could be used for important bills. They want to use up congress' time to insure things like immigration reform and gun safety laws will never see the light of day. This is the GOP's current strategy.
It's very Machiavellian.
What India said in #13.1...
It further seems to me that all this pointless gnawing on Benghazi and kangaroo court tactics re Hagel are all because they can't find a stained blue dress juicy scandal to sink their teeth into and thereby cripple the presidency.
How frustrating it must be that this is the cleanest and most corruption-free administration in recent history.
Also don't forget that although money may be the mother's milk of politics, there are few better ways to get it than national media face time. What did politicians ever do before TV?
UFB.. This is Chuck Hagel we're/they're talking about. Somebody said it the other day, nominate John McCain for defense secretary or Hell, Lindsey @!$%#ing Graham! Let's see if either of them are Right-Wing(nut) enough to pass the Senate's high standards of inquisition?
If McCain or Graham become Defence Secretary I'm out of here.
Check the Isle of Man, New Zealand, or Scotland.
Scotland... Definitely Scotland...
Better whiskey there... Better beer, too...
An appropriate response is to send them a pair of tin foil hats.
Sometimes I think the Republican reaction to the Internet is something like that urban legend about the first "moving pictures" and how the audience was terrified when they saw a train moving directly towards the camera.
Looks like those covering politics could learn from the ongoing fight between science advocates and creationists. The first lesson (one that advocates of science took a very long time to learn) is knowing that your opponent seeks credibility more than anything else. By engaging them, you are giving them credibility. It doesn't matter that they were total dolts and you smashed their arguments to bits. That you considered them enough of a legitimate threat that you engaged them /gives them what they want./
Hagel should've responded, 'I'm not in the business of giving credence to unsubstantiated hearsay.' Don't get me wrong, I'm not on Hagel's side here, but I'm absolutely against this kind of claptrap entering our public discourse.
Jonathan Chait:
The Washington Free Beacon is a smear sheet founded by Matthew Continetti, occasional contributor to the Weekly Standard and son-in-law of Weekly Standard editor William Kristol.
Continetti wrote a founding credo for the Free Beacon, titled “Combat Journalism,” which is notable because it openly defined an ethos that has come to define large chunks of the conservative journalism world.
Continetti described what he perceives as a lurid conspiracy of the liberal establishment, and promises to match it:
The Free Beacon is an important innovator in the right-wing pseudo-journalism world. Hackneyed spin, routine misstatements, and paranoid hyperbole are not the accidental by-product of ideological zeal but its stated goal.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/01/hitler-alive-and-well-owning-liberal-magazine.html
Hey Congress and Senate, this is really getting old.
You keep trying to blame Obama, but YOU are causing gridlock. Government process, political and economic gridlock. People want stability, but no, you keep throwing feces.
You have no shame, but I keep trying to show how utterly shameful you act.
Maybe I'm missing it, but I read the linked article and I don't see where Hagel denounced anything and It doesn't come up in google.
ohhh yea standards falling to new lows.... no wonder the president didn't want reporters following him and tiger woods.. I mean tiger being the upstanding true family man that he is.. wow good choice of golf buddies to hang out with. hey I probably wouldn't want my wife with me either if I was with tiger woods doing anything.
I hope that when Hagel is confirmed Secretary of Defense that he presides over another round of BRAC base closings and I hope every base in SC and every other red state gets closed and people like Lindsey have to live with the consequences.
And, I live in SC.