Live: Chuck Hagel Senate Hearing 01/31/2013
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The White House has heralded Hagel's Vietnam experience among his greatest credentials for the Pentagon's top job. Critics say, "So what?" and add that service as a non-commissioned officer in Vietnam does not qualify anyone for top leadership. -
Check out these archived clips of Hagel describing his Vietnam service and determine for yourself if his remarks at the confirmation hearing starting at 9:30 a.m. qualify him to lead to the Department of Defense.
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With Democrats in charge of the Senate, the key for a Hagel confirmation is not how many Republicans say they will vote against his nomination; it's if any say they will filibuster it. Traditionally, presidential cabinet nominations are not filibustered out of respect for the equal branches of government. But a filibuster would require 60 votes to overcome, a more challenging threshold for Hagel. -
Hagel faces criticism on the right, despite being a Republican, for his opposition to the war in Iraq and comments made about Israel and what he labeled "the Jewish lobby." He faces criticism on the left for comments he made in 1998 about a U.S. Ambassador being "openly, aggressively gay."
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Michigan Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the committee, cited this quote from Hagel in regard to his military service:
“Probably most fundamental for me ... when we talk of going to war ... we need to think it through carefully, not just for the political and the geopolitical and the diplomatic and the economic consequences–and those are important. But at least for me, this old infantry sergeant thinks about when I was in Vietnam in 1968 ... Someone needs to represent that perspective in our government as well. The people in Washington make the policy, but it’s the little guys who come back in the body bags.” -
Take action! Help us stop Chuck #Hagel's nomination for #secdef: ptrtvoic.es/WdTh4X
— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) January 29, 2013 -
Hagel has also caught flak for voicing his willingness to negotiate on certain terms with Iran, saying isolating the nation would be a mistake.
Levin, a Democrat, refers to those issues as "what most of us would view as non-negotiable." -
Sen. Jim Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, comes out strongly against Hagel. Knowing he has a tough row to hoe, Hagel has met with at least 60 current senators, trying to smooth his path for confirmation.
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Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Inhofe, committee ranking member, says Hagel's experience is "deeply troubling and out of the mainstream."
Hagel's world view is "predicated on appeasing our adversaries while shunning our friends," he says, referring in part to Hagel's views on negotiating with Iran. -
Retired Georgia Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn says "War, for Chuck Hagel, is not an abstraction."
The three last secretaries of Defense (Leon Panetta, Robert Gates, and Donald Rumsfeld) all served in the armed forces, but none was deployed to a war zone during their terms of military service. -
Widely respected former Senate Armed Service Committee Chairmen Sam Nunn, a Democrat, and John Warner, a Republican, are speaking in support of Hagel. The show of bipartisan support is aimed at bolstering Hagel's chances.
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Former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, left, greets former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, center, after arriving on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP/Susan Walsh)
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Despite the criticism Hagel has faced, President Barack Obama is said to appreciate Hagel's willingness to take a fresh approach to the Defense Department and foreign policy writ large.
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Retired Virginia Republican Sen. John Warner declined reading from a statement and opted instead to “speak from the heart.” He says he has never read a statement more "forthright," or one with fewer "hedges or deviations" than Hagel's.
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Let's be clear. Sen Hagel believes in strong American leadership, strong Iran sanctions, a strong military, and strong alliance with Israel.
— George Little (@PentagonPresSec) January 31, 2013 -
So far Hagel's opening statement plays up his personal war and Senate experience.
Both Warner and Nunn also highlighted his extensive public service record. All of their goal is to build a baseline of respect for Hagel, rather than focusing on specific policy - or personality - differences. -
Hagel makes a concerted effort to emphasize what he says is clear, on-the-record and consistent support for Israel and maintaining an effective U.S. nuclear arsenal, directly addressing criticism from opponents.
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For those observers looking forward to potentially tense moments and tough questioning, Hagel will likely face the most scrutiny from Republican Sens. John McCain, an old friend with whom he split with in later years; Kelly Ayotte, elected in 2010 and working to build credibility as a foreign policy hawk and heir to McCain; and Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas, both Tea Party standard-bearers and newer members unlikely to be swayed by Hagel's record of service in the Senate.
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Hagel punts on Levin's question about how many troops should be left in Afghanistan after the 2014 drawdown. Hagel cites Marine Gen. John Allen's recommendation of between 6,000 and 15,000 troops. Military experts say these numbers usually imply the middle of the range is best.
Hagel also says he has not been a part of these discussions at the White House, and does not "know enough of the specifics to give a good answer." -
Inhofe asks several detailed foreign policy questions and about Hagel's past actions, which he, for the most part, declines to answer. He offers instead to "get back" to Inhofe for the record.
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As McCain begins questioning Hagel, remember that the two men have known each other for years and have already met behind closed doors, after which McCain did not blast Hagel or vow to vote against him.
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McCain hounds Hagel over a statement he made regarding the Iraq surge, which Hagel said would be “the most dangerous foreign policy blunder since Vietnam.” McCain demanded a “yes or no” answer on whether Hagel thought that was correct.
“I’m not going to give you a ‘Yes or No’ answer on a lot of things today,” Hagel says. “I think it’s far more complicated than that. I’ll defer that judgement to history.” -
It could be the harder that McCain goes at Hagel in the confirmation hearing, the more likely he is to vote for confirmation - making it clear he was not easily won over. McCain is a master of politicking, particularly on foreign policy and defense.
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McCain and Obama also have a long history of arguing about the proper U.S. role in Iraq, as it was a large part of the 2008 presidential campaign.
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Hagel declined to answer McCain's questions on whether the U.S. should directly enforce or assist with a no-fly zone in Syria, or provide rebel fighters with lethal weapons.
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Hagel expounds on a question from Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson on whether he was injured in Vietnam to further explain his worldview based on military service.
“1968 when my brother and I served there was the worst year we had,” he says, citing the 16,000 Americans who died. “I saw that from the bottom.”
Tying in McCain’s repeated questions about Hagel’s criticism of the Iraq surge:
“I did question the surge,” he says. “Was it required? Was it necessary? Sen. McCain has his opinion on that…I’m not sure.”
“I’m not shaped, framed, molded, consumed by that experience, but it’s a part of me.” -
Hagel is sticking true to his personality and beliefs, despite the tough questioning from Republican senators.
Obama's decision to go forward with his nomination despite initial push-back marks a change from his first term and a willingness to take on criticism, rather than run from it. -
Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill is handing Hagel an opportunity to clearly lay out his beliefs about Iran and nuclear weapons in an attempt to dissuade criticism. A lot of GOP criticism comes from conflating his past statements with current circumstances.
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Over on Fox News, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican elected in 2010 with Tea Party support, has said he will not vote to confirm Hagel.
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Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill asks Hagel about the waste, fraud and abuse in Afghanistan, particularly in building infrastructure under the military, not organizations such as USAID. (Examples of this waste here and here.)
“When you think about the universe of money that went into both those wars, no one should be surprised,” Hagel says. “We need to learn from this. It wasn’t the fault of the military. The military was asked to do everything. We overloaded the circuits of the military.” -
#Hagel asked about his support for #Israel: our polls found wide partisan differences on degree of support pewrsr.ch/13gEJCM
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) January 31, 2013 -
Hagel responding to Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss on the idea of negotiation with perceived enemies.
“I don’t have a problem with engaging,” Hagel says. “That’s not negotiation. Engagement is not appeasement. Engagement is not surrender.” -
So far at #Hagel hearing lots on Israel, Iran and nukes but little to nothing on counterterrorism, drones and GITMO.
— Law and Security (@HRFLawSecurity) January 31, 2013 -
Cyber security represents as big a threat to the U.S. as any other, Hagel says.
"It's an insidious, quiet kind of a threat we've never seen before."
This includes power grids, banking networks, Navy ships, and satellites. He hopes Congress will finally approve cyber security legislation. -
Now Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall brings up LGBT issues in the military - giving Hagel a chance to reaffirm his about-face on his prior disparaging comments.
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Hagel says chaplains who wish to bow out of performing same-sex marriages on the basis of conscious would be able to do so, in response to a question by Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker. But reaffirms, based on Udall's question, military members' right to participate in such a ceremony.
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Wicker now pushing Hagel hard on "Jewish lobby" comments - critical point for Hagel now in how he negotiates this.
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Hagel admits regret - "I should have said pro-Israel lobby."
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"Instead of 'intimidation,' I should have said, 'influence,'" Hagel says.
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Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan from North Carolina asked a key question about looming defense cuts. Hagel has been someone who believes defense can and should face some spending cuts, but he emphasizes "readiness" is a top priority. "The security of this country is not going to be in jeopardy, but it is going to be difficult," Hagel says of potential sequestration.
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Committee takes 10 minute break for a debt-ceiling vote.
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Chuck Hagel testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Hagel is no shrinking violet on his past positions, but he is clearly trying to be contrite enough to hew to Obama administration positions and minimize the impact of his more controversial past statements. It's unclear if there are any minds that remain undecided in the Senate and if any decisions hinge on his performance today.
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The committee is slowly returning from its 10-minute recess. Two topics absent from this morning's discussion: drones and Gitmo.
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Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a new member of the "Three Amigos" alongside McCain and South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham (replacing outgoing Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman), begins the afternoon questioning of Hagel.
