Chuckleheads

Senator Chuck Schumer is supporting Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense. Many see this as Schumer selling out his principles for his party, which isn't exactly a big deal--business as usual in Washington.  It's just the way he does it that's so insulting.

Hagel has said a lot of odd things in the past, especially about Israel.  He's stated the "Jewish Lobby" has D. C. running scared, has noted "I'm not an Israeli Senator, I'm an American Senator" (so what are the others?), and has said "the State Department has become an adjunct to the Israeli Foreign Minister's office." He's complained about how Israel is run but has evinced sympathy for the terrorists surrounding it and their supporters.

Not that he's only spoken on Israel. He's said a lot of strange things about Iran, gay rights and America itself.  He's also failed to give full disclosure about his past.  If Hagel had been nominated by a Republican, I'm not sure if Schumer--or any Democrat--would be supporting him.

But here's how Schumer defends Hagel, discussing a private meeting they had:

He struck me as sincere, and you know, you have to be sitting there at the meeting obviously, but I also told him when he used the word Jewish lobby what it meant to Jewish people. 

And I told him what a double standard is. That Jewish people throughout the centuries have suffered a double standard. Everyone could be a farmer except Jewish people. Everyone could live in Moscow except Jewish people. I said when everyone else can lobby but all of a sudden when those of us who are pro-Israel lobby, it’s a negative, that’s a double standard. And I’m sure you didn’t mean it, but it harkens to the old days.

And he really, you know, he almost had tears in his eyes when he understood. So I believe he will be good.

Let me get this straight.  For years Hagel says things Schumer disapproves of. He says them over and over, in many contexts, and in situations where he's allowed to speak his mind. Then in one private meeting, hoping to be confirmed, he tearfully takes some of it back. (Just some of it--as far as I can tell, Hagel is sorry about how he put things, not about what he said.)

Schumer must also think Hagel is incredibly stupid to say these things and not be aware of how they sound, but apparently he won't hold that stupidity against him, either.

So how does Schumer explain a lot of the Republican opposition to this former Republican Senator?

The main fight on Hagel is coming from the neocons, who you know well. And they resent Hagel’s apostasy on Iraq. You may remember — the neocons helped push Iraq — and Hagel was one of the first Republicans to say Iraq wasn’t working. And he was right. But that’s where it’s coming from.

Let's ignore that "neocon" is another term often used as coded anti-Semitism. (Presumably Schumer gets a pass, though who knows, maybe years later if he's nominated for some position he'll tearfully abjure his former statements.) Let's also ignore "neocon" is a word used as a cheap smear that tells you more about the person using it than the people he's allegedly describing.

Sure, Hagel has said stupid stuff about Iraq, but that's hardly why many Republicans have lined up against him.  Yet Schumer desperately wants to deflect attention from the unpopular things Hagel has said and get back on the classic "hate Bush and Iraq at all costs" ground where he feels most secure.

I find it hard to accept that Schumer, even in the fever of partisanship, actually believes this is what the nomination fight is about.  The question is does he think we're dumb enough to believe it?

It looks like enough Republicans have made their peace with Hagel that he'll likely be confirmed.  It may make sense--no matter how hateful or nutty you find his views, you might as well let the President have the man he believes will reflect his positions.  But someone tell Schumer he's overdoing it and it's not making Hagel--or Schumer--look better.