Senate Republicans make fools of themselves..

[timpage]

Commentary from The American Conservative that is spot on:

National Journal reports on the new push for filibustering Hagel’s nomination. This jumped out at me:

Senators such as Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are claiming they are holding up the confirmation because they want more information from the White House on Obama’s actions related to the 9/11 Benghazi attacks, which have nothing to do with Hagel.

That heartens the Hagel camp, which notes that the opposition to him has mostly to do with a lot of old history—primarily, the inability of many Republican senators to admit they might have gotten Iraq wrong—as well as a new insecurity among Republicans who are desperate for a winning issue.

The impressive thing about the anti-Hagel effort is how politically tone-deaf it is. It’s not just that their opposition is misguided, but they stand to gain nothing from it. No one outside of a small core of hard-liners sympathizes with what Senate Republicans are doing. While they may not be losing any votes over this, they are making sure that all of the moderates, independents, and realists that they have alienated over the last ten years will keep running away from them. Except for dedicated partisans, no one can look at the display most Senate Republicans have put on over the last eight weeks and conclude that these people should be in the majority.

Many of Hagel’s most vocal Senate critics right now were elected in the last two elections. For example, Cruz, Ayotte, and Lee have nothing personally at stake in defending the Iraq war or the wisdom of the “surge.” None of them voted to support either of these, and many of them weren’t in the Senate when Hagel was. I might be able to understand the hostility of older members that bear a grudge against Hagel, but the hostility of the new members is much stranger. They are damaging their reputations to defend the legacy of other Republicans’ failures. Partisan loyalty I can understand. It’s the attachment to the worst mistakes of the worst postwar Republican administration that I can’t fathom.

There’s no question that Republicans in Washington are desperate for a winning issue, but Senate Republicans seem to be missing the point that stalling Hagel’s confirmation (which will happen eventually) isn’t a winning issue for them. In the short-term, they will take a justified beating in the press for their ridiculous tactics, and they are ensuring that the GOP continues to be perceived as nothing more than a party of bombastic hard-liners. The entire episode shows them to be hopelessly beholden to people whose foreign policy views have led to disaster for the country and contributed to three major Republican defeats. Another consequence will be that future Republican Cabinet nominees for major posts are now much more likely treated in the same way. That won’t be good for future Republican administrations or the government as a whole. With a few notable exceptions, Senate Republicans are needlessly wounding their party and making a spectacle of themselves in the process.

[Chica Chaser]

Originally Posted by timpage

There’s no question that Republicans in Washington are desperate for a winning issue, but Senate Republicans seem to be missing the point that stalling Hagel’s confirmation (which will happen eventually) isn’t a winning issue for them. In the short-term, they will take a justified beating in the press for their ridiculous tactics, and they are ensuring that the GOP continues to be perceived as nothing more than a party of bombastic hard-liners.

Yep, they are incapable of learning.

[timpage]

God bless 'em.

[JD Barleycorn]

What about 'Hagel is just a bad choice'. We still have questions about Benghazi that have not be answered, Iraq is over, the surge worked, and we won the war (but are losing the peace). That means Hagel was wrong quite a bit of the time. Do you think we deserve another Warren Christopher or Timothy Geitner?

[Guest040616]

Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

What about 'Hagel is just a bad choice'. We still have questions about Benghazi that have not be answered, Iraq is over, the surge worked, and we won the war (but are losing the peace). That means Hagel was wrong quite a bit of the time.

Are you now saying that Hagel's confirmation or rejection as SOD should be based entirely upon a situation he had absolutely nothing to do with? If it is about Benghazi, ask those questions at the appropriate hearing, not at a SOD confirmation hearing. If Hagel had a role in Benghazi, it would then become a fair question. But not if he had no role!

As it relates to Iraq, yes that war is finally over but I have maintained all along that we should have never been there in the first place. I am left to wonder, where are those pesky WMD's? Do you know JD?

The Republicans are grandstanding the Hagel issue and it is political posturing at its Washington worst. The Hagel grandstanding is yet anther example of the Repubes eating one of their own. I believe Hagel will be confirmed and the Republicans will end up looking like the obstructionists that they are known to be!

I know, it's just another day in Washington DC.

[Yssup Rider]

How about Iraq was a horrible fuck up with no winners, only losers?

More egg on the sour pusses of the GOP. I don't think they put forth any better ideas for SOD, nor have any of you.

More obstructions than your bowels...

[Fast Gunn]

Chuck Hagel is an excellent choice for Secretary of Defense.

He showed wisdom, foresight and courage in opposing the Iraq war to begin with, but now John McCain (who used to have common sense, but lost it in his old age) is fighting his nomination because he dared to oppose the surge.

. . . If a war is wrong to begin then how can pumping more troops into it make it right?

[WTF]

Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

What about 'Hagel is just a bad choice'. We still have questions about Benghazi that have not be answered, Iraq is over, the surge worked, and we won the war (but are losing the peace). That means Hagel was wrong quite a bit of the time. Do you think we deserve another Warren Christopher or Timothy Geitner?

You lost the election and do not have the votes in the Senate. Had you won, you could be having your choice confirmed and we could be bitching about the bad choicen it is. But he would have been confirmed already....this crap has never happened before and you guys are looking like fools. Lucky for you this cop killer was found and some Cruise Ship shitter quit working or the press would not be kind to the GOP.

What you do not get is that this is a stupid waste of time, he will be confirmed.

Hagel had nothing to do with Benghazi. Nobody gives a shit about Benghazi btw. that is a losing issue for you guys too.

[cptjohnstone]

Originally Posted by WTF

You lost the election and do not have the votes in the Senate. Had you won, you could be having your choice confirmed and we could be bitching about the bad choicen it is. But he would have been confirmed already....this crap has never happened before and you guys are looking like fools. Lucky for you this cop killer was found and some Cruise Ship shitter quit working or the press would not be kind to the GOP.

What you do not get is that this is a stupid waste of time, he will be confirmed.

Hagel had nothing to do with Benghazi. Nobody gives a shit about Benghazi btw. that is a losing issue for you guys too.

the parents, brothers and sisters of these guys do, you fucking yellow dog donkeys have no respect for anybody, just lie about it

[cptjohnstone]

Originally Posted by bigtex

Are you now saying that Hagel's confirmation or rejection as SOD should be based entirely upon a situation he had absolutely nothing to do with? If it is about Benghazi, ask those questions at the appropriate hearing, not at a SOD confirmation hearing. If Hagel had a role in Benghazi, it would then become a fair question. But not if he had no role!

As it relates to Iraq, yes that war is finally over but I have maintained all along that we should have never been there in the first place. I am left to wonder, where are those pesky WMD's? Do you know JD?

The Republicans are grandstanding the Hagel issue and it is political posturing at its Washington worst. The Hagel grandstanding is yet anther example of the Repubes eating one of their own. I believe Hagel will be confirmed and the Republicans will end up looking like the obstructionists that they are known to be!

I know, it's just another day in Washington DC.

try Syria, you yellow dog donkey, when that war is over, you will find alot of answers concerning Iraq

[Yssup Rider]

Oh yeah? You're a homo.

[CuteOldGuy]

Well, except for post #11, I actually agree with BigTurd, Assup and Timmy on this one.

(Excuse me while I vomit.)

However, the mishandling of the Benghazi attack is a major issue, and Americans deserve to know the truth. However, the Republicans are screwing this issue up big time, and it will backfire on them. Hagel is irrelevant. He pissed of McCain when he was in the Senate, and this is revenge clothed in phony righteousness.

The Republicans are through with being a major party. They stand for nothing anymore. Just a bunch of petty, ignorant losers.

[Yssup Rider]

If you agree with me, then I have to take it back. You're not a homo. You're a FAG! and a Republican, btw.

[Randy4Candy]

Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

What about 'Hagel is just a bad choice'?

What about, "How the fuck would you know?"

[Guest040616]

Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

We still have questions about Benghazi that have not be answered.

Originally Posted by cptjohnstone

the parents, brothers and sisters of these guys do, you fucking yellow dog donkeys have no respect for anybody, just lie about it.

JD & Cpt, while the Obama hating Senate Republicans are wasting everyone's time grillin' Hagel about the Benghazi situation, they might as well "rake him over the coals" about the Confederates stunning victory over the Yanks at the Battle of Richmond in 1862.

After all, didn't 'Ol Chuck have just as much personal involvement in one as the other?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Richmond