Hagel

(CommunityMatters) now that he’s apologized to Amb Jim Hormel and Jim’s accepted and the Pres says he’s good on LGBT equality, I’m good w/ the lgbt equality question. And, I think the objections because he called out a powerful Jewish lobby are silly – no one doubts the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill is powerful. Republican Senate objections feel personal and childish. They denied the Pres his choice for Secr of State. That’s enough. Fight it out w/ or w/o nuclear filibuster reform.

From Politico’s Playbook: **A message from The Bipartisan Group: The Bipartisan Group recently wrote President Obama to express strong support for Senator Hagel, who reportedly is under consideration for nomination as Secretary of Defense. In these polarized times America needs leaders with the kind of independence of conscience and mind Chuck Hagel’s service to our country has exemplified.

Signed , David Boren, Former Oklahoma Governor/US Senator; Zbigniew Brzezinski, Former United States National Security Advisor; Frank Carlucci, Former United States Secretary of Defense; William Fallon, Former Commander, US Central Command; Gary Hart, Former US Senator from Colorado; Carla Hills, Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development/US Trade Representative; Nancy Kassebaum-Baker, Former US Senator from Kansas; Thomas Pickering, Former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador to the United Nations and Ambassador to Israel; Brent Scowcroft, Former United States National Security Advisor; Paul Volcker, Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve; James Wolfensohn, Former President of the World Bank Group http://bit.ly/TnWWLB

Hagel’s apology: “My comments 14 years ago in 1998 were insensitive. They do not reflect my views or the totality of my public record, and I apologize to Ambassador Hormel and any LGBT Americans who may question my commitment to their civil rights. I am fully supportive of ‘open service’ and committed to LGBT military families.”