William Kristol says that it's time for even liberals to recognize that Chuck Hagel is not a first rate Secretary of Defense and that
his nomination should be withdrawn (Hat Tip:
Noah P).
We may, as George Orwell observed, “have now sunk
to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of
intelligent men.” But there isn’t an intelligent liberal, or for that
matter a sentient one, who doesn’t know, after last week’s confirmation
hearing, that Chuck Hagel isn’t a first-rate candidate for secretary of
defense. He isn’t even a second-rate candidate. Has there ever been a
more embarrassing confirmation hearing than Hagel’s for a major cabinet
position? For a minor cabinet position? For a sub-cabinet position? We
don’t know of one.
Yet so far liberals seem to be trying to pretend
that all is well. Or they have simply averted their gaze from the
ghastly train wreck. Or, they tell us (and themselves)—well, the
secretary of defense doesn’t really make policy, and there are lots of
capable bureaucrats who can run the department. Or, they grumble—well,
we can’t give Hagel’s critics the satisfaction of acknowledging that
this appointment is a disaster.
The question is whether there are a few good men or
women—serious liberals willing to speak truth to power, honorable
Democratic senators willing to put country before party—who will step
forward to sink the Hagel nomination.
It will be revealing about the state of liberalism
and the condition of the Democratic party if there are none. It wasn’t
pleasant in 2005 for conservatives and Republicans to oppose a
nominee—in this case a close friend—of a president they supported. It
certainly wasn’t pleasant to seem to give any comfort to the president’s
critics. Still, to use a corny but apt expression, it was the right
thing to do. And a willingness to do it was a sign of the health of
American conservatism.
...
Our brave men and women in uniform deserve better than Chuck Hagel. Are
there any courageous liberal voices who will find it within themselves
to say so? Are there a few courageous Democrats in the United States
Senate who will announce that they will not consent to a secretary of
defense unqualified for that high office? Is there even one Democratic
senator who will hearken to President Kennedy’s admonition, “Sometimes
party loyalty asks too much”?
Read the whole thing.
From the article "Democratic senators willing to put country before party" ----- I find that to be hilarious, not only have I never met a democrat that is willing to put country before party, but I have never met one that would put country before the mindset of what's in it for me.
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