Washington – A senior Republican senator said he will vote to confirm Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, a major boost for President Barack Obama’s nominee just days before a showdown vote.
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Five-term Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama told the Decatur Daily that while he has concerns about Hagel, he plans to support his fellow Republican and the former two-term senator from Nebraska.
“He’s probably as good as we’re going to get,” Shelby said.
Jonathan Graffeo, a spokesman for Shelby, said Thursday that barring any unforeseen surprises between now and an expected Senate vote on Tuesday, the senator will back Hagel.
Obama’s choice to succeed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has faced strong Republican opposition, and last week the GOP succeeded in an unprecedented filibuster of a nominee for Pentagon chief. Shelby joined most of his Republicans colleagues in voting against moving ahead on the Hagel nomination.
With another vote slated for next week, Shelby now stands with two other Republicans who have indicated their support for Hagel — Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mike Johanns of Nebraska. The GOP support — combined with 55 Democratic votes and two other Republicans opposed to delaying tactics — would give the nomination the requisite 60 votes out of 100 necessary to move ahead.
Republicans have criticized Hagel for his past statements and votes, contending that he hasn’t been sufficiently supportive of Israel and has been too tolerant of Iran. They also have challenged his support for reducing the nation’s nuclear arsenal and his opposition to the Iraq war after his initial vote for the conflict.
His nomination also has become entangled in GOP demands for more information from the Obama administration about the deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last September that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
Another guy probably bribed by the Obama Regime.
Just because he is “the best we will get” doesn’t mean we have to settle for pure poop!
Grow a spine Shelby!
Much has been made of the fact that Hagel is a wounded combat veteran who served his country bravely and honorably. So was Benedict Arnold or, for that matter, Adolph Hitler Y”S.
Hagel has a lot of flaws but so does the defense department. For example the Pentagon is full of 3 star generals and their command is a tray full of papers. The salary of a 1 star general is GS 15 plus health and retirement benefits no one else in the government enjoys. The fine state Texas has Fort Hood armored warfare completely useless. The Marine Corps has a different version of the F 33 for amphibious landing. The high flying boys of carrier based fighters are almost out . Drones are the coming warfare machines . Land based and carrier based drones and some small enough to be used in field combat. The question is how you tackle well connnected defense corporations in order to stop billion dollars worth of contracts. Hagel is not Gates or McNamara but willing to do the dirty to clean up the Pentagon waste,
“He’s probably as good as we’re going to get,” Shelby said.
What a defeatist attitude! Our republican reps are such losers its no wonder Obama has so much power. Its time to find people to represent us who actually have some guts.
Another RINO- fake Republican. I hope he’s challenged in a primary.
Some other benefits uniformed member enjoy are the PX cheaper than Wlamart and better merchandise and hitching a ride on the military air transport system for free anywhere in the world all paid by the tax payer including the 46% despised by Saint Romney
What a spineless bunch !
republican party is on its way out anyway, all because if they give into everything then they are simply one party with dems
sad story