I wanted to second Jonathan’s analysis of yesterday’s testimony by former Senator Chuck Hagel, who is hoping to become America’s 24th secretary of defense.
It may be that another nominee for a cabinet post has been more inept than Hagel was during his hearing–but if so, I can’t think of who it might be. Mr. Hagel showed himself to be in turn evasive, ignorant, unprincipled, baffled and dim-witted. And those were the high points.
Perhaps the most alarming thing of all is that according to Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, Obama found in Hagel a “soul mate.” Woodward went on to say that the president and Hagel should “mind meld” on defense matters.
That the president would find himself so passionately attached to a man of such staggering incompetence is troubling in any case; but for Mr. Obama to want such a man to run the Pentagon is, to me, a genuinely alarming prospect.
America’s best and bravest deserve to be led by someone far better than Chuck Hagel.
"Mr. Hagel showed himself to be in turn evasive, ignorant, unprincipled, baffled and dim-witted." n n"There is something almost charming about the left’s habit of using childish name-calling…." n– Seth Mandel in Commentary n
HilelA, your paradoxical bon mots usually misfire as they prize flippant rhetorical reversals over consideration of fact. n nThe man, left and right, is universally recognized as having come across as a completely incompetent. Evasive. Ignorant etc.
best2003 is spot on, but I would also point out to HillelA that saying Hagel "showed himself to be" evasive, ignorant, etc. IS NOT name calling. Name calling would be saying he is an idiot, a dolt, a moron, etc. My kids understand this too: saying that someone did something that was not very smart is not the same as calling them a "dummy"", a very bad word to them. They understand this. Why doesn't HillelA?
Because he is a dummy?
Obams and Hagel, two witless dolts whose combined IQ won't reach to 140.
"…That the president would find himself so passionately attached to a man of such staggering incompetence is troubling…" n nNonsense. Its entirely natural, logical and predictable. Obama is equally incompetent albeit far slicker.
and don't forget the teleprompter n nactually, I think it is Obama's speech pattern, his modulated voice, the practiced timely pauses, the head swiveling, snakelike, left to right-nice teeth, slender n nthe whole gestalt n nhe is mesmerizing n nHe could read a phone book, and people would stop to listen-he doesn't have t make sense. and often what he says, does not make sense, if you read a transcript.
Very true. Love the "snakelike". Like a cobra mesmerizing its victim before it strikes (yes, I know that is in bad form but I don't care. I could call him much worse).
I don;t know. I am one of many people who cannot stomach to look or listen to him.
neither can i n nmakes my stomach churn
"Mr. Hagel showed himself to be in turn evasive, ignorant, unprincipled, baffled and dim-witted" nHey gang, nobody's perfect