Who are American politicians beholden to? The People? The Constitution?

[DinoDoc]

Go for it, why not. Then next time you have the White House the Dems will take great enjoyment out of denying the GOP their appointments too.

George W. Bush judicial appointment controversies
John Bolton
John Tower

[kentonio]

An alcoholic and a psychopath, what's your point? I wasn't suggesting that no candidate should ever be opposed, because otherwise what would the point of confirmation hearings be (stupid as they are)?

[DinoDoc]

An alcoholic and a psychopath, what's your point? I wasn't suggesting that no candidate should ever be opposed, because otherwise what would the point of confirmation hearings be (stupid as they are)?

Go for it, why not. Then next time you have the White House the Dems will take great enjoyment out of denying the GOP their appointments too.

[kentonio]

Go for it, why not. Then next time you have the White House the Dems will take great enjoyment out of denying the GOP their appointments too.

Yes, because no matter how hard you try and paint this as a competency issue, it really isn't. Not supporting Israel without question or reservation and not wanting to bomb the **** out of Iran should not disqualify someone from cabinet for goodness sake.

[DinoDoc]

Anyone who during the course of his confirmation hearing, openly says that if he is confirmed promises to learn about the department he's being put in charge of and can be relied on to know what the policies of the President he's wants to serve are should be disqualified from a Cabinet position.

[kentonio]

Anyone who during the course of his confirmation hearing, openly says that if he is confirmed promises to learn about the department he's being put in charge of and can be relied on to know what the policies of the President he's wants to serve are should be disqualified from a Cabinet position.

The idea that Chuck Hagel doesn't know anything at all about defense is pretty ridiculous. Him having the honesty to say that the first time he does a job he's going to need to learn about how everything works isn't a bad thing, it's refreshingly honest.

The policy thing meanwhile is just nonsensical. Do we imagine that Obama isn't going to inform his defense sec about the direction of policy he wants to follow? Is there some compelling reason why someone who doesn't even have the job yet should already know every detail of how Obama wants to deal with American defense policy? Maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but I really don't understand what difference it's supposed to make.

[PLATO]

Hagel's confirmation hearing is simply Republicans taking a shot at Obama where they can. To be honest, Obama has dominated every confllict with Congress from a PR standpoint. The Republicans are desperately looking for a way to fight back. Can't say that they always pick the right battles, but at least they are fighting over an area that they have traditionally dominated the policy debate.

[DinoDoc]

The idea that Chuck Hagel doesn't know anything at all about defense is pretty ridiculous

He showed no evidence of this during his hearing. Even his supporters admit that wasn't his finest hour.

[Sava]

It's fun watching the Republicans grasp at straws. I guess they've given up on finding out the "truth" in Benghazi. They're just butthurt about Rubio's fail.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Anyone who during the course of his confirmation hearing, openly says that if he is confirmed promises to learn about the department he's being put in charge of and can be relied on to know what the policies of the President he's wants to serve are should be disqualified from a Cabinet position.

Anybody not in a relevant position for a good long time who claims to know what the **** DoD does shouldn't be confirmed either.

[DinoDoc]

Anybody not in a relevant position for a good long time who claims to know what the **** DoD does shouldn't be confirmed either.

Are you telling me that there is no one Obama could have chosen that wouldn't have vomited all over themselves at the requisite confirmation hearing?

[MichaeltheGreat]

No.

FWIW, I recall that Rumsfeld and McNamara did very well at their confirmation hearings.

[DinoDoc]

No.

FWIW, I recall that Rumsfeld and McNamara did very well at their confirmation hearings.

Michele Flournoy or Ashton Carter likely would have had an easier path to confirmation, MtG.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Yes, but their job is to run things. The SecDef is more political, in more ways than one.

[DinoDoc]

The SecDef is more political, in more ways than one.

Hagel is doing a bang up job thus far.