Just as we once had Reagan Democrats, we now have Obama Republicans, of which General Colin Powell (Ret.) is one. What that constitutes is a Republican that agrees with the President on certain, key issues - defense, guns, immigration, emergency aid and disdain for the fringe right (i.e birthers and gender politics). Others would be New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senator Olympia
Snowe (R-ME), Ohio Congressman Steve LaTourette to name a few - people
who have principles but are willing to compromise for the greater good.
Really what this all says is that in reality, the Democrats have moved
to a Reagan-like position - more to the center-right (as a general
proposition) than ever before. Think of this - President Obama has
ordered more drone attacks than George Bush ever did; Jimmy Carter didn't drop a single bomb on anyone. Another Obama Republican is of course Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel and on today's program, Gen. Powell laid out the major bullet points of Mr. Hagel's resume in support of the former Senator's nomination.
Most important of Mr. Hagel's positions is his stance on Israel and the Israeli lobby, which Gen. Powell defended. He explained that in saying 'Jewish lobby,' Mr. Hagel misspoke and that the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz has even used the phrase. The general went on to say that the former Senators support of Israel was very firm, but that it was all right to differ in opinion on some issues with the Israeli government, not exactly be in lock step all the time. As a senator, Mr. Hagel did not vote in favor of the Solidarity with Israel Act.
Here's what that Act says: Prohibits funding for the United Nations (U.N.) if the Security Council
or General Assembly of the U.N. grants Palestine, the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO), or the state of Palestine a change in
U.N. status from a permanent observer entity before the Secretary of
State certifies to Congress that a comprehensive peace agreement has
been reached with Israel.
We can see why there would be objections on both sides. On the one hand, an American politician could see it as a slap in the face to Israel if Palestine gets membership into the United Nations. On the other, one could see it that we're not observing the world democracy body's decision on something so it's like we're only in favor of democracy at home, but not abroad. Or maybe Mr. Hagel disagreed with the equating the PLO with the prospective state of Palestine, something this column believes is not an equal equation. Either way, we're sure they'll ask during the hearings. But just to note, we agree with Colin Powell in that if someone says 'Jewish lobby' instead of 'Israeli lobby,' that person should not be called anti-semitic.
For Mr. Hagel's fate, Colin Powell believes that he is a very good choice for Defense Secretary and that he will indeed be confirmed. However, in his strong endorsement of Mr. Hagel, Gen. Powell did eventually indicate a point of disagreement. In discussing the resistance to military action with Iran (not necessary), Mr. Hagel is on record as not supporting sanctions on Iran due to their pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Gen. Powell said he believes sanctions are vital.
All that, along Mr. Hagel's changed views of gays in the military, to which Gen. Powell rebutted that the elimination of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is law and that as Defense Secretary, Mr. Hagel would fully implement it, make Chuck Hagel a man without a party. He's is being challenged from both the right and the left. As Andrea Mitchell pointed out, Senator Schumer (D-NY) was ambivalent about the choice which says a lot. Then on the right side, you have Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) saying it was an 'in your face' pick. Honestly though, who doesn't want to make an 'in your face' pick? On anything...
Here's the rub, Chuck Hagel may be a man without a party, but not without a country. The service that he has given this country, as the general outlined, puts him on a very distinguished short list, and maybe it is this bit of disdain from both sides that makes him a good choice. We disagree with former Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS) when he said that this cabinet is shaping up to be a staff for the president. That is to diminish the service of Mr. Hagel and Senator Kerry, which isn't justified, confirmation or not. As for the Jack Lew nomination for Treasury Secretary, Republicans don't like dealing with him because Mr. Lew knows the numbers better than they do in negotiations - of course they don't like him. Republican strategist Mike Murphy explained it as president digging in for a fight in lieu of cooperation. Whether Mr. Murphy knows it or not, he's half an Obama Republican in his rejection of the fringe right and having a willingness to compromise. Given that, you can trust that when Andrea Mitchell says women are not happy, it's spot on and the president does need to diversify his cabinet. He should have nominated Ms. Rice for Secretary of State and going forward follow Gen. Powell's advice that if you want to nominate someone, don't float it out there first, just do it and let the process begin.
Mr. Gregory even challenged the General's Republican credentials because of his votes for Barack Obama and agreeing with him on issues of defense among others. Republicans should worry however, because when the general says that during the Bush administration 'We fought the wars we felt were necessary,' you can safely say he's a Republican even though he did admit that the Iraq War wasn't executed well. That's just an awful admission, one of incompetence. And though he disagreed with Mr. Hagel's assessment of the Iraq was being a huge military blunder, that admission tacitly endorses that view. Also, there's the issue of enhanced interrogation techniques. Gen. Powell said that we are not a lawless nation and that we have to be able to defend our actions. He said that we haven't used water boarding since 2003 because he was determined that it was a form of torture. Our question would be why couldn't they have determined that before they started using it. It basically leaves it tact that we did, in the past, torture people - he confirmed it.
Lastly, with everything that the general said on guns, his bottom line stance seems to be this, which is shared by many in the service: Military people don't like military weapons in the hands of people who are not military. Soldiers train and sleep with those types of weapons in contrast to an individual
walking into a Wal-mart, buying a semi-automatic and then we all have to
take it on faith that that individual knows what he or she is doing with it.
As Andrea Mitchell reported during the round table, the President is going to go big with the legislation with things like reintroducing the assault weapons ban, universal background checks which includes the gun show loophole and magazine capacity limits. The President will not get all of that, probably 1 for 3 - the background checks. During the panel, there was discussion of tracking the mental ill better - the crazies as Mr. Murphy called them. It's interesting to this column that no one sees that as a slippery slope to say the least. First, the whole premise presumes that when it comes to mental health, you do not have the same right to doctor-patient priviledge as one would with say cancer treatment. We heard many stories of how war veterans feel stigmatized if they admit they have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or CTE, and this in a way reinforces that notion. Also, there's the question who deems who crazy, right? Have you ever done anyone 'crazy' in your life? Some would say that political compromise is crazy and Obama Republicans don't exist. Others would say that the whole notion of the president not being born here is crazy as well. Who makes that call?
Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he was returning to his walnut farm, 'a different set of nuts,' he joked. Makes you wonder.
Round Table: Newark’s Democratic Mayor Cory Booker; Fmr. Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS);
GOP strategist Mike Murphy; and NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs
Correspondent Andrea Mitchell.
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