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Liz Peek and Jehmu Greene discuss the controversy over the potential delay in Former Sen. Hagel's confirmation vote.
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Good morning or good afternoon depending where you are in the country right now this is normally the segment hosted by Jonathan Hunt called on the hot I'm Mike Tobin hosting out of Chicago.
They've got the B team and the reason I am in the throne once again is because no one else was available.
Lot of exciting developments however the meantime most in coming out of Capitol Hill.
He got a new -- a new term and because of that you have a cabinet shake up usually got a compulsory in terms of the -- shaker and shake up.
But we've got some developments because it looks like the nomination of the vote on -- nomination.
Of Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel is going to be delayed by a week and a half let's get reaction right now from senator Harry Reid.
In less than two hours.
Our country will be without -- secretary of defense.
At a time when we have a war going on in Afghanistan.
And about 70000 troops there.
We have.
He nuclear.
Weapon was detonated in North Korea a few days ago they're threatening hasn't helped publicly on another occasion -- after -- moments.
Put off set off that they weren't going to attack us.
I would bring our political -- political panel Jim moved green president of the -- media center former advisor to Hillary Rodham Clinton.
And Elizabeth -- who is in New York she's a journalist she's a philanthropist an investment analyst.
And let's first start Jim -- with reaction what you just heard from not from senator Reid.
The fact that he said the nation is suddenly going to be with out a Defense Secretary as seems a little bit dramatic and -- -- Well I think senator Reid is is absolutely right as of I think -- as of right now.
Leon Panetta is no longer the secretary of defense and we we are engaged in a war in Afghanistan and I think we have to start -- -- by looking that -- who is Chuck Hagel.
He enlisted in the army he would be the first secretary of defense analysts in the army.
He still has shrapnel in his chest.
He earned two purple hearts these senators are not it's delaying at this confirmation based on his qualifications.
They're delaying it based on an issued that doesn't even involve him.
Yes of course they should get the answers that they need from the president from the administration on Ben Ghazi.
But to put our nation in this situation without a secretary of defense is irresponsible.
And shameful.
Well you bring up an interesting point -- wanna make the transition over Elizabeth -- because you talk about death.
This delay really coming out of politics and that we're getting from us Senator McCain who first said he was going to what I hasten the vote he wasn't going to be an.
IA an obstruction to this process.
And then we see him kind of syncing up with his good buddy Lindsey Graham.
Out of South Carolina and it's almost like a page out of the Rod Blagojevich book pardon me for throwing that term out.
But -- you -- I've got something here it's gosh darn gold and I'm not gonna get it up for nothing so they say.
We're not gonna move this vote forward until we learn more about -- guys -- so Elizabeth.
Let me hear you react to that.
Well let me first of all say that it's really cheerful to see Harry Reid so exercised about are.
Defense posture and war in Afghanistan and so forth and I can't remember the last time he got to -- worked up about defense issues.
Yes it's about politics but -- really can only blame himself.
And the Obama administration can only blame themselves cable came to this senate confirmation hearing.
Woefully under prepared.
At an absolute loss to be able to identify what even our current -- positions -- -- policies were.
He I really cannot imagine such a pivotal.
It examination in this man's life being so dreadfully.
And some -- -- going so dreadfully wrong so shame on him and heat.
-- kind of alerted the country.
To the possibility that maybe this really wasn't very good nominee.
Secondly I think the Obama administration has to come to terms of -- -- they continue to run around on.
Important issues related to the attack on -- -- in Gaza compound.
Now we know more than we did when McCain was not willing to filibuster the nomination of -- so you know I mean I think it.
I think this is politics is paid back for the years in which Democrats went after all the anti terrorism policies of George Bush.
But the truth is there are some questions out there and why don't we just get a full accounting.
What happened the night that they may Gaza compound was attack that's what Americans want to hear that's certainly what the GOP wants to hear and I think that's what we're seeing here.
But don't you think is wrong ahold of the nomination based on something that doesn't directly have to do with the nomination doesn't them directly have to do with the Defense Secretary -- -- -- issue with the secretary of state.
Well I think it has to do -- Generally speaking our preparedness her forthrightness -- Sadr.
Hey eagle has said in testimony that he is not going to be in a policy making positions had to be honest whether or not he's an office for.
Today or ten days from now I don't really see that it makes that much difference.
Right now -- movie you brought up the fact that we won't have they yet Defense Secretary but it's not like we're suddenly going to have a leader was military -- You pointed out the fact that that senator hagel carries with him some shrapnel we've got a lot of wounded vets out there they're not all qualified defense.
Well I -- in addition to winning the two purple hearts might.
He spent many years in the US senate has incredible amount of foreign policy experience.
And really does connect with military families and the experiences that they are going through.
But I have to address loses pointed out that this is payback -- if these United States senators these Republicans.
Think that their role that they were elected to office to serve.
Is for pay back that's just malpractice.
And they need to be gone.
And Elizabeth don't you think the public is is tired of this tit for tat -- -- partisan politicking I think that's true I think the -- but that the polling has shown the pop public also wants to know more about what went on and buying Ghazi.
And really now but that's another reason to hold up this nomination you're talking about two.
Separate think it didn't -- -- like real -- has its leverage I look is that there is an appealing to me no I said the other day on this -- that.
I think the GOP could overplay their hand here because.
And this is has to do it drone policy in a whole lot of other things they're meant to be the grownups in the -- when it comes to defense and you know look I I don't think anyone really likes what's going on here.
On the other hand I have to say for all that beat you point out his background his credentials are -- What did you make of his confirmation hearings I mean I thought it was written in appalling performance.
Don't we have to sort of take -- I seriously.
Go ahead in the -- I think that we have seen.
Nominees perform better and we saw Chuck Hagel did -- in his confirmation hearings.
But I also think bit.
There were -- a number of issues going on in that room.
That had nothing to do with the position that he is nominated for that have nothing to do with anything except for the personal politics.
Between the men who are questioning him.
And the man who was sitting up you know at the table John McCain.
Quizzing him trying to get him just to say I was wrong for not supporting your apology your surge policy in Iraq because that that's the image -- If I I expect I expect my nieces and nephews to act in this way.
But I think the performance we saw on on both sides actually that day was not up to standards of what the American people expect from our elected leaders.
I think questioning him on his policy vis a vis the surge in Iraq quit and it was perfectly appropriate.
And the question was has he learned anything I mean is this a man look I think the issue is -- -- -- at that and I've been in question was.
Were you wrong -- you wrong were you wrong whales like months neither McCain.
Our let me jump in here because this -- go on for a long time to either of you disagree with the notion.
That senator hagel ultimately.
Be confirmed as the defense and I think he will be an intern take a look -- I think you'll take a little while and and that little while is unfortunate and as detrimental to our our military families and and -- Defense Department should not be treated like this by these men who were elected says to do a job and they're clearly not doing.
I okay I'm looking at -- being saris kissing.
-- -- -- -- But this being a defense you brought up the drone policy general Stanley McChrystal is a guy who is not at a loss for words in fact that's why he's kind of right now because he had it really speaks his mind particularly but when he thinks he's behind closed doors anyway.
Talking about drone policy the president is a big fan of drone policy the number one advantage -- drone policy is that you don't put US service members in harm's way.
A lot of disadvantages I've seen I've been in Gaza when drone strikes and helicopter strikes have happened.
I've seen a lot of the disadvantages but first -- -- start with huge edge in the what do you think about presence -- Look I I think that there's been a lot of hypocrisy amongst my.
Progressive liberal.
Colleagues.
For not it's calling him Alex in the way that they did during the Bush Administration.
I'm -- policy and I have also seen the devastation.
That these devices can cause amongst.
The innocents civilians that are -- killed.
You clearly we don't want.
Put.
Our military men and women.
In harm's way if there is technology that can facilitate that those same actions.
I think it has to be a balancing act but I do think the administration has to be a little bit more transparent than they have.
And and Democrats we need to hold them more accountable.
And we want to get back to the subject of a transparency but I wanna talk about collateral damage.
He of one of the quotes they came from General McChrystal or retired General McChrystal is -- contains the seeds.
Of our own destruction.
And really I think what he's getting into there is the battle of hearts and minds and -- not -- in Gaza and I've watched the air strikes take take place.
You get into these pour Islamic countries -- densely populated where particularly where the strikes happen.
Usually you're you're you're radical is hiding in the civilian population.
For the very purpose of creating collateral damage and the other thing you need to understand about people live in these -- is they're desperately board.
So when the first missile comes in usually best target's going to be a car.
The first airstrike comes -- people watch and all of these people will rush to the -- to the scene.
And one thing the Israelis learn the hard way is the first initial usually doesn't get the target.
So a second missile a third missile is coming you get collateral damage you hurt yourself in the battle for hearts and minds and Elizabeth I want to hear your thoughts.
Well I I think you're exactly right we have had 90000 troops in Afghanistan.
A great many of whom have been wounded.
Trying to win over.
You know village elders and other people who have influence in these tribal regions.
It takes one drone attack to undo the work.
Probably thousands of American troops I think it's.
I think it's a really tough call like to know I think that there are pluses and minuses here.
I think the worst minus at least from the point -- -- the military.
Forgetting that putting aside the moral issues for a moment and there -- moral -- I think.
Art is that you get no information out of these attacks it's at the end of the good news is we have.
Bumped off an enormous number of significant al-Qaeda leaders who were listed in those.
Infamous cards that were handed out earlier and that they are pretty well known terrorists and I don't think there's much confusion about whether or not.
They are anti American and deserve to be attacked.
But the truth of the matter is we -- we have not.
You know the biggest failing early in the last decade was that we had so little.
Information we -- so little CIA prisons and in that you know basic.
Intelligence.
Network set up in these regions.
That the information we're getting out of the stuff is nothing.
Mean that we we don't learn rang and I think that is a real serious problem.
And the end of the rumor I always heard when I was in Afghanistan as a reason never picked up Mullah Omar.
It's because he was a great intelligence resource among other things among other reasons because he was dumb enough to talk on this phone all the time and people listen in on is we need more of winging it need more terrorists this -- like that for sure he's.
And Jane I but I got to got to move on.
Doug -- -- make -- real -- -- but I got to move.
Does does this say we can't have the collateral damage and in an avid self serve -- a recruiting tool.
To enlist the next generation of leaders and terrorists themselves that they're going to come after us said it does have to be balanced.
-- Jones aren't the solution.
It's -- the amounts of troops on the ground and technology.
Write that stuff and so let's move on what's they'll talk about Capitol Hill we're talking about the nomination -- Jack Lew.
As the candidate for -- Treasury Secretary.
And that what's interesting about Jack -- I think you would disagree it looks like he's on the fast track is his resonates pretty impressive.
Deputy secretary -- he worked with the office of my management and budget under -- well Obama and Clinton.
But debt -- he's not a blemish.
He's got a few screw ups in this pastor talk about this big investment in the Cayman Islands.
He lost a lot of money -- with Citigroup in 2008.
And since a lot of your background is with finance Elizabeth.
Let me hear you first.
Well I really would be hard pressed to come up with a treasury nominee.
Who is not going to have these issues and I say that because anyone who has worked in finance over the last ten years has probably.
At least brushed against some of the things that went wrong in 2005678.
So he you know he can he has disclaims any knowledge of these investments that went wrong I'm not quite sure how that.
Lines up with him having been in charge of that but it you know -- I think this nomination is not really a very tough thing to go through.
Be at least having had some.
Banking experience he knows something about -- you really cannot -- expect to have.
Treasury Secretary -- in who's not sat behind -- banking desk at some point because you know.
Tim Geithner did it but it took a little -- -- period of time to get up to speed at least he was involved in the Federal Reserve so I think.
You know I I think this is an okay nominate nation and I again I think they have to kind of jump through these hoops.
In these confirmation hearings to make.
Sure people know they hate bankers still and you know that they're on top of this but I think this is gonna go through.
-- -- he survived the -- seeds of his own destruction you think he's on the way and you think he's a good choice.
I think he's a kid toys and and I I think you'll sail through now do I wish that.
He could.
He even more accountable and at the role that he played when he was at Citibank in 2008.
Yes but as -- said are we going to have someone with the qualifications.
As necessary to be treasures Treasury Secretary.
Who doesn't have some sort of stayed in his past I don't think village where at that point yet but.
It it it's not a good look when you have someone -- -- -- -- this division but I wasn't aware of losses are responsible for them.
Come on -- also heard him say that.
They yells at her to say that he's in favor of lower lower corporate taxes and closing loopholes and I think people on both sides the seemed to -- in agreement with that to -- -- Elizabeth -- But thank you both for coming in today thank you place Travis and client.
