Republicans seem to revile Obama’s new Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel.
I will admit, I haven’t liked him either. But WHY don’t we like him? For my part, it has been a result of what I have heard and seen on Fox News. But maybe… just maybe, Republicans and Fox News don’t like him just because he was Obama’s choice.
It seems that he has said some stupid things, but when I look at the entire context of some of those comments it makes me wonder if Republicans are trying to “create” a problem for Hagel. Take for instance his statement on the Jewish lobby in Washington, “the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here”. On the face of that statement, one might assume that he is anti-Israel. But consider the entire quote….
“The political reality is that… the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here…. I’ve always argued against some of the dumb things they do, because I don’t think it’s in the interest of Israel…. I’m not an Israeli senator. I’m a United States Senator. I support Israel, but my first interest is, I take an oath of office to the Constitution of the United States, not to a president, not to a party, not to Israel.”
That quote in its entirety could easily be construed to demonstrate his fundamental support for Israel. Instead, it has been widely used to beat him over the head.
Here is some information that seems to have been ignored by Republicans and the Fox News reports: He earned an 84 percent approval rating from the American Conservative Union; a zero rating from abortion-rights group NARAL and a 100 percent National Right to Life Committee ranking for his consistent opposition to abortion; 100 percent from the Christian Coalition for, among other things, his support for teacher-led prayer in schools; and an A rating from the NRA.
Is it possible that other comments and positions have been mis-characterized as well? An open and HONEST discussion of his positions and statements could be helpful to evaluate him.
I don’t yet like him or trust him, but I am going to withhold judgment for a bit longer until I see how he performs as the new Secretary of Defense.
***Gordon Howie is a nationally syndicated author, host of Liberty Today TV and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
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Gordon, this is exactly the type of article that I like to see. It is too easy to simply dismiss someone based on media excerpts or to vilify someone based on a few poorly chosen words. Remember Romney getting crucified for his 47% remark? Now our President, because he won, feels completely comfortable representing only the small fraction of our population who actually agree with him and ignoring far more than the 47% of us that disagree. I still like the President and admire his role as a father. I like much of what he says–who doesn’t want a fair and balanced treatment of every issue? I just disagree with most of what he does. But with the President, as with Hagel, we need to look at the entire picture, support what we can, and exercise our right as US citizens to vigorously oppose what we can’t. We need to be well informed and we need to VOTE. Very few people will agree with us on everything, but who gets elected does make a difference and setting out an election is the same as voting for the poorest choice.
It does appear that the President is a good father to his children. I just don’t like what he is doing the the rest of the Nation’s children by over-burdening them with debt, and promoting their selective execution through abortion. I pray for him, but have to say I really don’t like him! I have yet to find anything in policy that we agree on… there must be something 🙂
maybe because he changed his religion to Islam when he was over in Iraq…don’t like it that our intelligence people are so easily converted to an enemy influence.
OOps that was Brennen who converted when he was over in Saudi arabia…it is reported that Hagel just took money from Hammas is “all”.
Thanks Lora… can you provide a link to the story on Hagel taking Hammas money? I am hoping that anyone with factual info will share it. I am not defending Hagel at this point, just hoping to see discussion based on fact!