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Setting the stage for Senate battle over Hagel confirmation

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    Will defense secretary nominee get through?

  • Duration 2:52
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This let's bring in Bob Cusack he is managing editor of the hill.

Harry Reid and -- some of the Democrats would have us believe Bob that this is just extraordinary.

Business going on in the senate that that the world has never seen this kind of thing before is that true.

Well they are saying this is the first time it's happened to a Defense Secretary -- there is history for other cabinet nominees bars filibusters.

Regardless is going to be a very very close vote I think -- there's some senators to watch very closely senator.

Lisa Murkowski as well as senator Bob Corcoran who heads the foreign relations committee I was -- -- about it -- relations committee.

Those are two Republicans that could shift things I mean that the magic numbers -- main asset is five and it looks like they've got.

Two or three Lamar Alexander another one that.

Will be key in this cloture vote but.

I do agree that ultimately Chuck Hagel is going to get confirmed and we may see some late breaking news where the White House if they think well.

We don't have the votes look at some more information to Senator John McCain and Lindsey Graham is also a keynote -- is that it Lindsey Graham is someone who supported.

Obama's Supreme Court nominees and he clearly is opposing hate -- here.

Primarily what what a lot of these senators want is information on a number of fronts especially on the Ben Ghazi attack what happened.

How much did the White House know what was how involved was the president that's what they're looking for right.

Yet that is what they're looking for they did ask some questions.

Hillary Clinton.

About what she said to the president.

There talks that night they want more information.

As far as what you what was happening that night as -- report for coming in.

That Christopher Stephens and others were in danger what was the White House doing they want more details on it and until they get those.

That looks like he would support the filibuster early in the week he was saying it is suggesting he wouldn't.

But he wants more answers and until -- gets the answers looks like that take a could be -- what at least for this week and how interest being in May be ironic that the pivotal vote for the pivotal decision is being made by the guy the President Obama defeated before the White House the first time around John McCain.

That's right.

After -- that election a lot of Republicans thought that.

That McCain and Obama would form some type of an alliance that that McCain would work but the White House that has not happened that McCain and -- -- I do not get along McCain is complain that.

That over the years that the White House would not reach out to him on immigration reform so.

McCain now working with other senators on the democratic side and the Republicans -- on immigration so there has been no alliance between John McCain and and -- president -- again so interest seeing that a former Republican senator is getting held up.

Primarily by the people he used to be arm in arm with his fellow Republicans in the senate.

And continue to keep an eye on this story John Q so Bob he -- from hill thank you.