Will Obama cave on Chuck Hagel?

[Creekman]

I'm talking about Harry Reid's games at blocking Bush's appointments. Was what he did okay?

Are you still whining about Bush's appointments? He is back in Texas sitting on his arse doing nothing. Let him do what he doe's best and stop bringing up his failures.

Mikie McConnell and his band of do nothings have blocked 10 times the number of appointments that Harry did.

[Byng]

How does one define necessary v. unnecessary war in regards to the underlying predicates upon which such a judgement is cast?

Iraq was a totally unnecessary war. Hagel spoke out strongly on the war to the point that Cheney singled him out for ridicule when he would not support the Necons.

Hagel told them that decisions on war were an American decision not a Republican or Democrat decision and that his vote as an American was NO!

[Sprightly]

What Cabinet appointments did Reid block?

I remember Dems blocking Harriet Myers but she was Bush's Supreme Court pick

Go back to the start of the Bush administration when Bush's nominees were being blocked by Reid, Feinstein, et al, the number of times they voted against cloture, fillibuster of judicial nominees (Obama was part of those). The Senate has confirmed more of Obama's nominees than it did during Bush's entire second term. Democrats can call foul until they are blue in the face but the fact is -- they played the same game.

By the way, then Senator Obama, stated that, “The president, having won the election, should not have complete authority to appoint his nominee.”

[Byng]

So "swiftboaters" will leave Kerry alone and focus on Hagel this time? If swiftboaters thought Kerry was unfit for command, how can they stomach him being Sec. of State?

Because a challenge to his Senate seat comes with it!

[Sprightly]

Are you still whining about Bush's appointments? He is back in Texas sitting on his arse doing nothing. Let him do what he doe's best and stop bringing up his failures.

Mikie McConnell and his band of do nothings have blocked 10 times the number of appointments that Harry did.

I'm not whining about anything. I'm stating facts. You guys are guilty of the same thing.

[soulflower]

Go back to the start of the Bush administration when Bush's nominees were being blocked by Reid, Feinstein, et al, the number of times they voted against cloture, fillibuster of judicial nominees (Obama was part of those). The Senate has confirmed more of Obama's nominees than it did during Bush's entire second term. Democrats can call foul until they are blue in the face but the fact is -- they played the same game.

By the way, then Senator Obama, stated that, “The president, having won the election, should not have complete authority to appoint his nominee.”

You didn't answer the question. What nominees for Bush's Cabinet were blocked by Dems? I'll wait.

I'm not talking about appointments of judges being blocked. I agree that both parties play politics when it comes to appointing judges and bureaucrats. But Cabinet appointments are different and its rare that they are blocked.

[Sprightly]

You didn't answer the question. What nominees for Bush's Cabinet were blocked by Dems? I'll wait.

I'm not talking about appointments of judges being blocked. I agree that both parties play politics when it comes to appointing judges and bureaucrats. But Cabinet appointments are different and its rare that they are blocked.

ATTEMPTED to block John Ashcroft. You tend to act as though this is something new.

[soulflower]

ATTEMPTED to block John Ashcroft. You tend to act as though this is something new.

Well I give Bush credit for not caving on his pick. I hope Obama stands firm as well.

[Byng]

ATTEMPTED to block John Ashcroft. You tend to act as though this is something new.

I think what you are trying to say Sprightly is that you are making stuff up again and just being silly because the Democrats did not block any of Bush's nominees including John Ashcroft?

[Sprightly]

I think what you are trying to say Sprightly is that you are making stuff up again and just being silly because the Democrats did not block any of Bush's nominees including John Ashcroft?

Reading comprehension issues, byng? I said ATTEMPTED. Now, which of President Obama's nominees have been blocked?

[Byng]

Reading comprehension issues, byng?

None at all, just stating a fact! You initially said "I'm talking about Harry Reid's games at blocking Bush's appointments. Was what he did okay?

And then changed it to "attempted" to block when the error of your ways was pointed out to you by more informed posters!

[Sprightly]

None at all, just stating a fact!

None at all is the correct answer. No Obama cabinet nominees have been blocked. And one that was attempted came from a member of his own party.

[Byng]

None at all is the correct answer. No Obama cabinet nominees have been blocked. And one that was attempted came from a member of his own party.

Pretty blatant attempt at moving the goal-posts Sprightly but what else can you do than deflect and try to play defense?

[zenwalk]

“I can’t support a Hagel nomination if it comes,” Cornyn said, making him the first senator to publicly state his opposition to a Hagel nomination. Cornyn said his opposition stems from Hagel's positions on Israel's national security.

Loyalty to Israel trumps loyalty to party? If that doesn't speak volumes ...

[Omaha Beach]

Iraq was a totally unnecessary war. Hagel spoke out strongly on the war to the point that Cheney singled him out for ridicule when he would not support the Necons.

Hagel told them that decisions on war were an American decision not a Republican or Democrat decision and that his vote as an American was NO!

Hagel may have spoke out against the war in Iraq but when the vote was taken to authorize force he cast a yea. Remember? And please do not put Biden in the same category with veterans like Kerry and Hagel. Good ole Joe got as many deferements from miitary service as Cheney.

[Sprightly]

Pretty blatant attempt at moving the goal-posts Sprightly but what else can you do than deflect and try to play defense?

You can't deny that Democrats whining about Obama's nominees not being confirmed rings hollow, can you?

[Byng]

Hagel may have spoke out against the war in Iraq but when the vote was taken to authorize force he cast a yea. Remember? And please do not put Biden in the same category with veterans like Kerry and Hagel. Good ole Joe got as many deferements from miitary service as Cheney.

Hagel backed the Congressional resolution in October 2002 authorizing the administration to use force against Iraq, but on the basis of assurances from Powell and Bush that the administration would use the threat to war to buttress diplomatic efforts. His Senate speech in favor of the resolution presciently warned that “we should not be seduced by the expectations of dancing in the streets after Saddam’s regime has fallen.”

After the invasion and as casualties mounted, Hagel became an outright opponent of the war. He saw Bush making the same mistakes in Iraq that Lyndon Johnson had made in Vietnam, attempting to achieve a phantom victory by escalation. The death knoll for Hagel in the Republican Party and to his Presidential aspirations was when Hagel hinted in 2007 that Bush should be impeached.

[zenwalk]

He saw Bush making the same mistakes in Iraq that Lyndon Johnson had made in Vietnam,

That's a very charitable description.

[Sprightly]

And, p.s. I hope that the aholes on the right will allow for Nagel to be confirmed. Just like I hoped the same from the aholes on left when they were trying to stop Ashcroft's.

[zenwalk]

Really. We wouldn't have had the pleasure of watching Ashcroft covering the nudity of the sculpture in Justice otherwise.