The Israel lobby continues to use the gay issue as cover for going after Chuck Hagel as possible Defense Secretary nominee, and the media allow the lobby to get away with it. Both Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory of NBC, apostles of conventional wisdom, hint that the possible nomination is going down. NBC News:
Asked by NBC’s David Gregory whether President Barack Obama should nominate Hagel to replace departing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Schumer said, “Well, that’s his choice. I think once he makes it, his record will be studied carefully. But until that point, I think we’re not going to know what’s going to happen.”
When Gregory asked directly whether he could support Hagel’s nomination, Schumer replied, “I’d have to study his record. I’m not going to comment until the president makes a nomination.”
Would it be too much to tell viewers that Chuck Schumer once bragged to AIPAC that his name in Hebrew, Hashomer, means guardian of Israel? Apparently so. On Meet the Press– the video is above– Andrea Mitchell did the coup de grace, transcribed below. She claims that Hagel has support in the foreign policy community. Actually, that’s precisely where he’s having problems, from the neoconservatives and traditional Israel lobby. And she says that Schumer represents the left! Well, I guess if you live in Washington:
Mitchell: What Senator Schumer said was really very very revealing. Exactly, because if a Democratic Senator is not going to come to Chuck Hagel’s defense, then I think there is serious problems there.
Gregory: And he did not come to his defense. This would be a second consecutive nomination where the president does not get his first choice…
Mitchell: This White House can not continue to float trial balloons and have them shot down. The president can’t get, be perceived to be rolled by his opponents. The problem that Chuck Hagel has, though he has a lot of support in the foreign policy community, is that he’s now getting shot at from the left and the right. Because of his past comments, which he has now retracted and apologized for, against gays.
Expected from Schmer.
Anyone have any theories why Obama would leak Hagel’s name for Sec of Def if he ‘s not going to fight for him? O is not so stupid he didn’t know the I-Firsters would lauch an all out bloody smear attack on Hagel.
So what’s the game?
Is O using Hagel as a bargining chip for some issue votes in the Senate?
“Because of his past comments, which he has now retracted and apologized for, against gays.”
Dear Gays,
This is not about you.
Quit inserting your single issue into everything else or the next 100 times I get those survey calls from all those conserative American Family orgs I not going to keep supporting your gay rights.
Phil, I note you use the term Israeli Lobby, or ‘The Lobby,’ but is it PC to call it a Jewish Lobby? like Saint Chuck did? As to the gay complaints, what do you think Hagel thinks about the show tunes as interpreted by Michael Feinstein? He’s a proud, openly gay Jew? but I’m not sure if he’s a neocon, but two out of thee ain’t bad.
Actually, how about Obama nominating an aggressively, openly, gay neoconservative who loves show tunes. Phil, as a progressive, I wonder what you think about the use of the descritor aggressively to modify openly gay. Is this code word for something, a movie reference of a guy with a bandana skipping down the street.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xXn-RKNrmk
I believe Michael’s song here could have been written for Chuck Hagel. BTW, I believe Michael blows a kiss of respect to the wonderful Jerry Harman at the end. All kidding aside, I’m a huge Michael Feinstein fan. He is a devotee of George and Ira, the great one Cole Porter, Rogers and Hart and others…. sort of a musical American Firster. He was the private secretary for an ailing Ira Gershwin.
if a Democratic Senator is not going to come to Chuck Hagel’s defense
a democratic senator andrea? because i am sure there are democratic senators who will come to hagel’s defense. schumer’s not just a democratic senator. what a bunch of hooie!