Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Rumor du Jour: Secretary post for Hagel?

The little rumor birds have been whispering in our ears lately.

And the latest...sort of random...is regarding... the U.S. Commerce Department.

OK, OK, sit down.  Catch your breath.  OK.

Well, here is what we have heard:

The current Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, will be going down with the economic ship post election.  Other reason involved?  We have no idea.

In any case, who will take his place?  (Hint: there's a reason you are reading about it on this blog.)

Former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel!

You will remember that just a few months ago Hagel, pretty much out of nowhere, endorsed Democratic candidate Joe Sestak in the Pennsylvania Senate race.  At the time, many wondered if that was his initiation rite to get into the Obama Administration.  (Now all he has left is four Jägermeister shots, and he's in!)

Is this our answer?

Well, if this doesn't turn out we won't be surprised.  Hagel, whose expertise was on foreign policy while in the Senate, has been rumored for various spots in the Obama Admin for a while.  And while Secretary of State never seemed likely, SecDef has been rumored often.

So now...Commerce?  Some have suggested that spot works his foreign policy knowledge better, in theory.  Though Hagel has always been a Free Trader, and that tilt may have questionable hold in this White House.

So is Commerce the consolation prize if Defense is not open for him?

Maybe.

Or maybe this is just another trial balloon in the long, long history of DC ballooning.

But if it flies, you heard on Leavenworth Street first!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Post would fit him.......

Anonymous said...

I thought it was odd seeing Hagel in the West Stadium this past weekend, attending the NU-TX football game. I don't remember him as a big fb fan.

Anonymous said...

Chuck Hagel is out for Chuck Hagel. You cannot be a republican and support this president. But its cool if your wife can hang out with Michelle.

Anonymous said...

Remember when Livvie or Lizzy or whatever the Hell her name is turned down social invites for her and Chuckles so they wouldn't have to be around Cheney & Rove? POTUS and FLOTUS must be more stimulating company.

Anonymous said...

The Hagel's didn't even want to "breathe the same air as the Cheney's" I believe the quote was. His devolution to liberalism from conservativism should make him feel right at home in the Obama Administration. Glad to be rid of him from our state.

Macdaddy said...

Such an appointment would demonstrate further that Obama is not serious in trying to get the economy moving. It would also demonstrate the fecklessness of the Republicans if a newly seated GOP Senate were to confirm him.

Anonymous said...

The backstory is, Cheney screwed Hagel and others being considered for VP out of a lot of their own personal cash. Bush assigned Cheney to find a VP. Cheney had a bunch of people vetted and that cost a bundle of dough for them personally. Then Cheney told Bush "pick me". That's politics for you. Sure Hagel doesn't like Cheney. Cheney robbed him of real money. So Hagel's supposed to hug Cheney? Not gonna happen. Cheney is an SOB on some levels. Is that really such a surprise?

Commerce for Hagel? Is Obama stupid enough to think Commerce is Business and thus can fix the economy? Yes, Obama is stupid. But its just another rumor.

Ditto to Macdad ala Obama, but a GOP Senate is wishful thinking. Keep wishing.

Anonymous said...

There will be no Republican Senate. You heard it here first. Take that to the bank. If the President of the United States asked you to serve. You should serve. No matter what your personal political beliefs are. Patriots understand that. I doubt if many tea baggers would get it.

Anonymous said...

No way this will happen. Secretary of Commerce isn't a position to grab headlines from-- in a relative way (compared to State or Defense). Hagel could spout things designed to grab headlines and bite the hand that feeds him all day long, and there wouldn't be much coverage of it. And that is why Hagel wouldn't take the job-- he would't get enough love and attention from the press in this spot. And that's what he's all about, it seems.

Macdaddy said...

Right now Hagel's getting zero love and attention, so Commerce Secretary would be a step up for him. Besides, how many Cabinet Secretaries do you come to hear from in any particular administration? Quite a few, actually. Sure, some stay completely anonymous in the MSM, but there is more than enough mischief for the Commerce Secretary to stir up. The coming trade war with China is a big one. Hagel would jump at the chance for reporters to hang on his every word.

As far as the Republican Senate goes, I think it's a toss up, but if the Republicans do take it, I will be all over you, Anonymous, like Bob Genghis Khan in a Big 5 sporting goods store. Just as soon as I find out which Anonymous you are.

Right Wing Professor said...

I'd bet dollars to donuts Hagel himself is the source of the rumor. He displays himself in this way, in the manner of a lady of the evening in an Amsterdam red-light district window, in order to show off his tawdry assets.

I don't think this would build any bridges to the incoming GOP majority -- far from it -- but Obama's perception of politics is so distorted he might actually be thinking this will help him with bipartisanship.

BTW, Gary Locke really has been AWOl, hasn't he?

Shoe Salesman said...

OMG me and RWP on the same page...

But this is probably Hagel floating Hagel - and no surprise SS runs with it...

I wouldnt put it past Hagel to generate the rumor so he can do a big "I dont want the job" announcement to re-ingratiate himself with Republicans who may or may not control Congress in two weeks. Hagel is a joke - the only people who take him seriously are him and the President's sycophants

Anonymous said...

Our state should be so lucky to have someone like Chuck Hagel. He called Iraq right back in 2002 demanding an exit plan prior to entering that war that took over 8 years to finally execute...kind of. And, he was right about Iran.
So what if he promotes himself, like others in office or out don't? Yeh right.

Anonymous said...

Chuck Hagel was AGAINST the surge in Iraq. Vehemently against the surge.

Yet it was the surge that turned the tide in Iraq and has resulted in combat troops leaving.

Chuck Hagel was WRONG on Iraq strategy and should keep himself in academia where theories reign over reality.

Macdaddy said...

And don't forget that Hagel voted to confirm Petraeus as Commander for Iraq and then turned around and stabbed him in the back by trying to keep him from getting the tools he needed to get the job done. It was absolutely shameful and I'd have to say was more of an embarrassment for Nebraska than Nelson's Cornhusker Kickback.

One Out In The Third said...

Hagel's extensive military knowledge would benefit the DOC tremendously.