With Republicans sympathetic to Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel preparing to cave, Hagel’s confirmation to head the Pentagon seems all but assured. According to Reuters on Thursday afternoon, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has now stated that he will support Hagel’s nomination, just a week after joining the Republican effort to block Hagel’s nomination until he disclosed information about speeches and finances. Hagel has not turned over such information. The White House continues to stonewall all requests. But Shelby is caving anyway. “He’s probably as good as we’re going to get,” said Shelby.
Joining
Shelby, reportedly, is Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), who said on KFAB radio
in Omaha, “I will be voting no on the floor,” but reportedly added that
she would vote for cloture, which would bring Hagel to a vote.
This
cave has been signaled since the beginning of the week, when Sen. John
McCain joined the Sunday shows to explain, “I’m confident that Sen.
Hagel will probably have the votes necessarily to be confirmed as
Secretary of Defense.” Democrats had long ago scheduled a vote on Hagel
for February 26, the day after Congress returns from its current recess.
The
core of Republican opposition to Hagel remains, but it’s simply not
large enough to stop a vote on Hagel. Democrats are in lockstep in favor
of the nominee, with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) suddenly seeing the
light this week after watching Hagel supposedly “almost” get tears in
his eyes after hearing about how nasty the term “Jewish lobby” is. It
now appears that with the help of a few spineless Republicans, the most
anti-Israel, isolationist, weak on national security Secretary of
Defense nominee in recent history will head up our military
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