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Republican Senator: Chuck Hagel to Face Inquisition Over Treatment of Staffers

Jan. 13, 2013 3:40pm Mytheos Holt

As if mounting concerns over his controversial views on Israel weren’t enough, former Nebraska Senator and probable Obama Department of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel may now face a different area of questioning: his temperament when dealing with colleagues.

Sen Bob Corker (R-TN) alluded to this line of questioning today on ABC’s “This Week,” telling host George Stephanopoulos, “Just his overall temperament and is he suited to run a department or a big agency or a big entity like the Pentagon. I think there are numbers of staffers who are coming forth now just talking about the way he has dealt with them. I have, certainly questions, about a lot of things.”

Assuming the severity of the complaints against Hagel do not imply major scandals in his handling of particular issues, this line of inquiry alone could end up a minor Washington hiccup. However, given the noncommittal attitude of major members of the Armed Services Committee toward Hagel, it is an issue that could add to those same members’ ambivalence. Sens. John McCain and Joe Manchin especially seem unwilling to enthusiastically back Hagel, the former despite being Hagel’s former colleague, and the latter despite Hagel’s being a nominee of a friendly president:

“He’s coming in next week to speak with me,” Manchin said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “I look forward to that. I have some questions I want to ask” on Israel, the Iraq War, Iran sanctions and Afghanistan policy.

“I would give every consideration to our [president] to put his staff together,” Manchin said.

“At this point would you vote against him?” CBS host Bob Schieffer asked McCain.

“No, nor would I vote for him,” McCain said. “This is why we have hearings.” He added later that he has “always believed that a president deserves the right to choose his own team, but there are significant questions.”

“My questions about him, and they will be raised in the [confirmation hearings], are, what his view of America’s role in the world?” McCain said. “Whether he really believes that the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War? That clearly – that’s not correct. In fact, it’s bizarre. Why would he oppose calling the Iranian revolutionary guard a terrorist organization?”

No date has been set for Hagel’s confirmation hearings yet, though the bipartisan uneasiness about his suitability for the role of Secretary of Defense suggests they are likely to be contentious.

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Comments (32)

Arshloch
Posted on January 14, 2013 at 3:21pm
Chuck Hagel has the brains of a bagel. The only contribution he will make to ‘lil berry’s’ cabinet is one more dufuss to smooch the royal prat. What is really required is someone to kick the royal prat.

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zoro51
Posted on January 14, 2013 at 12:43am
hes NOT for isreal HES NOT FOR THE USA .. tell the DMAN SOCIALIST U SUCK, N FIRE THIS LOSER while youre at it IMPEACH OBAMA NOW

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marybethelizabeth
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 10:04pm
An inquisition is a witch hunt.

Is this more of Mr. Holt’s shoddy writing or has theblaze editorial staff finally come to their senses to see that everyone would benefit if Mr. Holt sought employment elsewhere.

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- SovereignSoul
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 10:56pm
  Definition of INQUISITION
  1: the act of inquiring : examination
  2: a judicial or official inquiry or examination usually before a jury; also : the finding of the jury
  3: a :capitalized : a former Roman Catholic tribunal for the discovery and punishment of heresy
  b : an investigation conducted with little regard for individual rights
  c : a severe questioning
  
  Report this comment
soybomb315_II
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 8:35pm
i see this article has been removed from theblaze main page…..why?

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AUsername
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 7:40pm
not a bad choice finally something ok Obama did. its good to have someone not loyal to another country in goverment.

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- Elena2010
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 8:00pm
  Sure, buddy, he’s loyal only to Chuck and not even our nation’s interests.
  
  He would give up our nuclear deterrent in hopes that the Iranians would stop doing what they are doing. No, he’s not the right man for this job.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 8:18pm
  ELENA: Auser ” not loyal to another country”….I assume that country is Israel. That ” anti-Israel ” business is just one of the many beliefs you guys share with the Obama radicals. I still remember all of the ” divide the Republicans” campaigning you did for Obama ! Oh, yeah. I know: Romney is the same as Obama ..blah..blah..blah.. NOTHING is the same as Comrade Obama who thanks you all so much for his additional four years to destroy America !
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 8:25pm
  The above comment was for AUSER. Did not word the lead in correctly. Sorry, ELENA , for the awkward confusion.
  
  Report this comment
- AUsername
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 9:30pm
  its not our goverments job to take care of Israel its the Israeli goverments job.
  
  Report this comment
Sr Newk
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 6:45pm
Don’t stop with Hagel while there at it, they might as well call in Sheila Jackson Lee also. She sure as heck is very demeaning to her staff and also the secret police, and also the capital police.

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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on January 14, 2013 at 11:19am
  Don’t forget about BilieKlintgon who’s wife physically THREW-OUT the WH-Traveloffice-staff in a plain white van…and PERPWALKED them out the back WH-door!!
  
  Report this comment
Sr Newk
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 6:44pm
Don’t stop with Hagel while there at it, they might as well call in Sheila Jackson Lee also. She sure as heck is very demeaning to her staff and also the secret police, and capital police also.

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jackact
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 6:37pm
So the uber-liberal US senator who lied about his presence in the Vietnam war and voted, with 65% of his fellow Jewish voters, for Obama is now unhappy about the anti-Israel pick of Chuck Hager?
Tough love Gov.
Right?
:)

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soybomb315_II
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:32pm
oh i see they are going to tear him down Herman Cain style

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- Mil-Dot
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 6:20pm
  Look Soy,
  The guy is a JO. The type of boss that you hate. He is a control freak that demands that everybody else make no mistakes while excluding himself from the scrutiny. This is not an Alan West attack. He is NWO tody monster that would cut the order to exterminate millions at the drop of a hat, even using VX gas if he is told to. Do your homework and just look at his face. He is a monster, an Orwellian atrocity.
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 6:46pm
  sorry mil-dot, i dont judge a man by his face. I have seen his quotes and his positions on the foreign issues. i do not see a problem with him. But i understand those in the media use sal alinsky smear tactics in any situation
  
  Report this comment
PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:32pm
The questions will be coming out of the mouths of big government cowards or there would be impeachment going on now. I like to see what Wild Bill for America has to say..he has a new video out:

http://www.westernjournalism.com/rumblings-of-an-obama-dictatorship/

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tonypro
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:20pm
This just further solidifies ocommies choice, and he’s a perfect fit.

He’ll blend right in with the rest of the sleazebags.

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Southernsoul
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:14pm
What difference does it make? Until you Impeach obama and reid, your going to get the same thing. I want to know, how can a president ignore the Constitution as often as those two and still remain in office?

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mbean
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 4:54pm
Hagel On Terrorism

Chuck Hagel seeks to reduce the pressure on, and isolation of, terrorist groups and state sponsors of terrorism.

http://www.chuckhagel.com/terrorism/

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- Elena2010
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:06pm
  And he wants to disarm us to make the wolves outside the gates act nicely:
  
  http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/hagel-u-s-should-give-up-nukes-before-rogue-nations/
  
  This is NOT the right person for the Secretary of Defense position.
  
  Report this comment
mbean
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 4:49pm
“Hagel Agrees that America Is ‘The World’s Bully’” http://nation.foxnews.com/chuck-hagel/2013/01/09/hagel-agrees-america-world-s-bully

You can see why Barry loves him then.

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denkat56
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 4:16pm
You act like he’s got principles, the fact that Obama picked him shows that. He’s an arrogant , and hypocritical tyrant.

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- Mil-Dot
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 6:32pm
  Den,
  You got it , If Obama picked him, then you KNOW that he is a big govt, NWO tyrant. No doubt about it. Tyrants don’t choose fair minded people to do their bidding. They choose psychopaths to do that. Hagel is a psychopath.
  
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- barber2
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 7:16pm
  MIL_ What’s the IV deal signify ? Just curious.
  
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welovetheUSA
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 3:56pm
Hagel is not the man to run anything in Washington……but thats why Obama picked him.

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- gyro
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:13pm
  this
  
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SovereignSoul
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 3:53pm
Cool! I wonder what they’ll use; the rack, strappado or thumbscrews?

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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 3:48pm
Our one party system is quite a hoot huh? They’ll scream and shout like they’re adversaries ready to cave each others heads in. After the TV cameras are shut off they go out and have drinks,it’s all theater folks because they’re all on the same team the big government team and we’re their servants.

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- variable51
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 4:37pm
  So true mate, so true…..
  
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ResistSocialism
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 3:47pm
Comedy hour commences

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