From Denny: After a nasty and outrageously contentious beatdown from his fellow Republicans intent on punishing him for publicly disagreeing with Bush 43's Iraq War, Chuck Hagel found at least four Republicans willing to vote for him yesterday.
Cheeky tee for St. Paddy's Day: "obedience training required (Good Luck!) BS stories free of charge"
Today, Hagel was sworn in as the newest Obama cabinet pick as Secretary of Defense, following in the footsteps of dynamic Sec. Leon Panetta who just retired. The tough former Vietnam era Sergeant came through the guerrilla warfare tactics of his own party to emerge as the first Vietnam War era combat veteran to head the Defense Department.
Unlike U.N. Amb. Susan Rice, Hagel was willing to divest himself of troubling corporate attachments which could easily affect his decisions to curry favoritism for lucrative defense contracts. Hagel was on the board of directors of energy company Chevron.
He left Chevron behind to move forward to steer the Defense Dept. without influence. Had Susan Rice chosen the same path of integrity to divest herself of energy and banking stocks that are pushing the very controversial XL Pipeline (that does nothing to benefit America) she could have easily won the position as Sec. of State. While choosing the path of better character can often be bruising from the contentious folks intent on political destruction and character assassination, Chuck Hagel is an example of how perseverance and integrity win out in the end.
Four Republicans woke up and realized their states - and possibly their political careers - were in peril of The White House Revenge via the Defense Department: Thad Cochran (R-MS), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Mike Johanns (R-NE) and wonder of wonders - Rand Paul (R-KY). These were the only four Republicans who voted for Hagel to be confirmed as Sec. of Defense.
It was most surprising that Sen. Paul voted for former Sen. Hagel, considering his often caustic and very nasty remarks publicly screamed at Hagel. Paul was also former Senator Sec. Hillary Clinton's most vociferous critic. Can it be Sen. Paul finally viewed himself on TV and realized just how petty he looked to America? There certainly is no way he could ever run for President as there is just too much news footage the ad campaigns can use against him.
Chuck Hagel was the first cabinet nominee ever to experience a filibuster against his nomination. The Republican Senators even asked him questions on the Benghazi travesty - of which he had no knowledge - just to score political points against President Obama in the hopes of some serious arm-twisting of this White House. Whatever the reasons for a few Republicans coming on board to shut down this national disgrace against Sen. Hagel, this political drama is over - until the next one! Consider the Hagel Haggle Hassle archived into political trivia history.
Pot of Gold? You didn't really believe that blarney did you?
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