Rand Paul Explains His Surprise Vote For Chuck Hagel
“The president gets to choose political appointees,” Paul says.
Image by Gary Cameron / Reuters
WASHINGTON — Kentucky Senator Rand Paul said his support for a filibuster against Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel never meant that he would vote against Hagel’s confirmation.
“I voted no because I wanted more information and I think that part of what the Senate does is try to get information about the nominees,” Paul told reporters in the basement of the Capitol after Hagel’s confirmation Tuesday. “I’ve said all along that I give the president some prerogative in choosing his political appointees.”
“There are many things I disagree with Chuck Hagel on, there are many things I disagree with John Kerry on, there are very few things I agree with the president on, but the president gets to choose political appointees,” Paul said.
Asked if he ever got the information he wanted about Hagel, Paul said that he hadn’t.
Paul implied that he might vote yes on final passage at Monday’s New York Meeting.
After weeks of controversy, Hagel was confirmed by a vote of 58-41 on Tuesday.
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- davea12 thinks Rand Paul Explains His Surprise Vote ... is Fail & Awkward
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joshual14 2 months agoDissapointed in Rand for rolling over on Hagel. I’m sick of hearing about an election having consequences, consequences of an election should never be the destruction of the damn country. I can deal with higher taxes, I can deal with a green revolution to a degree, but I can’t deal with a white Muslim American hating idiot running the Pentagon. Its over.
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Shirley Widlacki 2 months agoI am not surprised. Recall that Rand Paul had expressed no prior concern for the Hagel nomination. He was only using the confirmation process as leverage to get answers to his questions about Obama’s possible intentions to use drones on US citizens on US soil. Rand Paul likewise expressed no concern for targeted budget cuts on vital areas of our military and national defense. When you’re on record as having told your supporters “Iran with one nuke is not a threat to our national security”, you demonstrate that your views on foreign policy hang in some sort of suspended reality. He basically left our troops out to dry today, disgraced himself as a defender of our nation against the domestic enemy in the White House, and further proved he is not fit to run for president in 2016 or anytime thereafter.
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davidl66 2 months agoNo, he does not get to choose political appointees, he gets to select whom he wants but the selectee must pass the litmus test to be approved by you, Mr. Rand….epic fail! If you are going to be a representative of the republican conservatives or Libertarians or Tea Party groups, you have to stand for the principles of whom you select. This is a choice that is not a conservative representatives support choice. Thumbs down Mr. Rand!
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guyls 2 months agoNo explanation in the world is going to achieve forgiveness for this. One more Republicrat jumps ship and joins the other side. “There are many things I disagree with Chuck Hagel on, there are many things I disagree with John Kerry on, there are very few things I agree with the president on, but the president gets to choose political appointees,” Paul said. What a cop out! He’s no better than any of the other fatheads in Congress. What the hell does it matter the if Congress has to approve them? Just go ahead and rubber stamp everything Obama wants because he’s the “lord and savior” of Communist Amerika! I’m so disgusted with these people. It’s time for a reset in this country.
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deborahc11 2 months agoI would never support Rand Paul for president. He clearly catered to the GOP establishment because he wants to run in 2016 and he will need their support. He also is not offended enough by Hagel’s antisemitism and opposition to Israel (not to mention his relationship with Muslim extremists and our enemies!). Obama only WINS because wishy-washy Republicans ALLOW him to win!!! NO BACKBONE. NO CONVICTIONS. And Rand Paul is clearly just another self-serving politician whose personal ambition is more important to him than doing what is right!
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tracerb 2 months agoI just don’t get it. These politicians know we are looking for those who will stick to their principals yet they fold time and time again. Do they not realize that each time they do this we feel like they have spat in our face? Its hard to stand in someones corner once you’ve been spit upon but it seems that that thought never even occurs to them.
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