Levin wants to vote on Hagel on Tuesday, Republicans may walk out
Meanwhile, two Senate Republican aides said that some GOP senators were considering the possibility of walking out during such a vote.
Levin faces a conundrum: He has the ability to force a Hagel vote through the committee on a party-line vote, since Democrats outnumber Republicans. But doing so could damage the committee’s longtime bipartisan spirit.
Last Thursday’s hearing with Panetta alarmed Levin, Democrats said. Levin worries the aggressive, pointed questioning that Republicans directed at Panetta over the Sept. 11 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, could signal some Republicans simply will not compromise on the issue of Hagel’s nomination.
“Fed up is the right term for [Levin’s mood],” said a Democratic source. “After the Benghazi hearing, it showed what we are dealing with on the Republican side.”
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Democratic aides were unhappy with the week’s turn of events. The Senate Armed Services Committee has traditionally been collegial; it has passed a defense authorization bill for over 50 consecutive years, as defense advocates like to point out. But Republicans’ grilling of Panetta on Thursday seemed to indicate that the bipartisan feeling has diminished, and Republicans signaled again Sunday they were playing for keeps.
"There are two options: If Hagel doesn't fully disclose all the things in the letter [in which Republicans made requests for more disclosure] ... either you will see a party line vote or Republicans will stand up and leave the room in protest,” said a senior Republican Senate aide. “Does Levin really want that to happen on his watch as chairman? … It would really debilitate the committee.”Why should the Senate Armed Services Committee be any different than anyplace else under the 'post-partisan' Obama administration? Here's betting that Levin calls the vote and all the Republicans except McCain walk out.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Chuck Hagel, Jim Inhofe, John McCain, Lindsey Graham
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:54 PM
3 Comments:
Unsatisfied with their unparalleled low standing in public polls and disdain by the American people, Congressional Republicans continually strive to promote policies, make public statements, and take actions which will further damage the party's reputation and popularity.
How low can they go?
Labman, think back to the day one hearing. Did you see Levin's response to Hagel's containment gaffe? He looked mortified with Hagel at the time. And yet here he is days later, doing anything he can to get the guy in. Who has the lack of integrity here?
Personally though, I almost hope Hagel gets in. He'll be the one responsible for enforcing Obama's integration of women into the combat roles, protecting the newly acquired rights of gay soldiers, and overseeing the intentional weakening of the US military. My guess is that he's going to be a walking PR disaster from day one. I wonder if that's part of the plan?
Kind of like Haman leading that parade if you think about it...
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