Althouse: "Rand Paul Explains His Surprise Vote For Chuck Hagel."

February 26, 2013

"Rand Paul Explains His Surprise Vote For Chuck Hagel."

"The president gets to choose political appointees."

Yes. Exactly. Torment them. And then give the President what he wants.

And hold him accountable for the consequences.

76 comments:

chickelit said...: And hold him accountable for the consequences.

This lack of accountability is really getting to be a problem for Obama. Do you think he just calculates that it would be a show of weakness to take responsibility for things like proposing the sequester and his bold vision for HCR?

Why can't he "man-up"? I'm starting to wonder whether "manning-up" is a learned behavior, passed from father to son.; 2/26/13, 7:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Learning how to "man up" takes a man to teach you how.

Obama never had that man.; 2/26/13, 7:03 PM
sonicfrog said...: I guess the embarrassment of falsely accusing Hagel of donating to the fictitious "Friends Of Hamas" may have had an effect.

Just kidding Jay..... Sort of! :-); 2/26/13, 7:12 PM
ricpic said...: Torment them.

Torment who?; 2/26/13, 7:13 PM
ricpic said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/26/13, 7:13 PM
edutcher said...: Very disappointed in this. And Rand Paul.

It's as bad George Will's blithering nonsense about the President deserves his choice of appointees.

Well, the President might, but We, The People, sure as Hell don't.; 2/26/13, 7:17 PM
Barry Dauphin said...: Accountable? I thought that buses were made for people to be thrown under.; 2/26/13, 7:17 PM
harrogate said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/26/13, 7:17 PM
harrogate said...: The idea of Rand Paul "tormenting" Hagel or anyone else for that matter, is amusing. Unless you count having to sit and listen to him talk at you until his allotted time has expired, as a kind of torment? Perhaps.

But, you'd have to take Rand Paul seriously to truly feel tormented by him in a hearing, wouldn't you?; 2/26/13, 7:19 PM
sean said...: Why doesn't this rule apply to Democrats? Or did I miss John Bolton's time as UN ambassador?; 2/26/13, 7:23 PM
ricpic said...: Hey Althouse, how come you never call out your pet Barry for tormenting folk, huh?; 2/26/13, 7:23 PM
Lawyer Mom said...: Sounds like he's already measuring the curtains, trying to set precedent for when he picks his own cabinet.; 2/26/13, 7:23 PM
bagoh20 said...: Hold him accountable? Seriously, that's ridiculous. What would that look like? Who would do it? It has never happened in his life, and it never will. That's why we are more realistic and just try to hold those actually responsible to account. I'm talking about voters- people like you Althouse. At least Hagelhas some qualifications. Stop passing the Buck. You had your chance and you blew it.; 2/26/13, 7:24 PM
Mark said...: It's a nice sentiment, but one that won't slow the Democrats down for a down for a second when the roles are reversed.

This ain't beanbag.; 2/26/13, 7:25 PM
Crunchy Frog said...: Better the discredited Hagel than a committed leftist with better credentials.; 2/26/13, 7:25 PM
Mark said...: On the other hand, the combination of Hagel and Lurch are going to provide a lot of material for Republicans to campaign against in 2014 and 2016. Let's just hope neither does anything that can't be mended in a generation or so.; 2/26/13, 7:27 PM
Methadras said...: Oh yes, holding Urkel accountable for anything has done what exactly?; 2/26/13, 7:30 PM
dreams said...: Yeah, its awful how the Republicans treat Obama. Why can't they be more like the liberal media and the ignorant and or crooked Democrats?; 2/26/13, 7:30 PM
Chef Mojo said...: "The president gets to choose political appointees."

Then what the fuck is that whole "advise and consent" bullshit all about then?

Fucking Republicans are fucking pussies. Screw them all, and let it burn.; 2/26/13, 7:30 PM
Chef Mojo said...: On the other hand, the combination of Hagel and Lurch are going to provide a lot of material for Republicans to campaign against in 2014 and 2016.

Bullshit.

Republicans could have video of Hagel and Lurch buggering a room full of schoolboys and they'd still fuck it up.

Until Republicans in the Senate and House are not afraid to not be liked, then everything will continue on in this pussified way.

I'm sick of it. Especially dicksmacks like Rand Paul sucking the cock of Senate tradition, presumably after a lecture from that perennial loser, John McCain.; 2/26/13, 7:35 PM
tiger said...: I agree 100% Professor.

Hagel's faults have been pointed out ad nauseum and now he is Obama's man.

And I don't want to hear one FARKING word about him being a 'Republican'; he isn't.

Calling yourself a Republican and then complaining/belittling/criticizing every thing the Reps do is NOT being a party member; it is a un-disingenous way of hiding your Democrat beliefs in plain sight.; 2/26/13, 7:36 PM
Third Coast said...: Like Bagoh20 says, who's going to hold him accountable? The press? Don't make me laugh. Obama had his fingerprints removed when he was a child in Indonesia.; 2/26/13, 7:40 PM
Third Coast said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/26/13, 7:40 PM
edutcher said...: Paul has set his standard, now he better enforce it.; 2/26/13, 7:42 PM
cubanbob said...: Rand Paul should be held accountable for his vote for Hagel. If he really believed Hagel wasn't up to the job then he had a moral duty to vote his conscious instead of rubber-stamping the appointment. Same goes for every senator who voted for Hagel and had his or hers doubt about his competence for the job.; 2/26/13, 7:45 PM
Chef Mojo said...: And I don't want to hear one FARKING word about him being a 'Republican'; he isn't.

Bullshit, yet again, of the purest ray serene.

Republicans just supported the Republican sonofabitch. He's just as Republican as they are. If he wasn't, they why the fuck did Republicans like Paul bend over and take it from Hagel?

And you think the MSM isn't going to lay everything that eviscerates the Pentagon straight at Hagel's feet? "He's a REPUBLICAN!!!!" Count on it, bitches.

He's a Republican because the MSM says so, and Republicans didn't stand together and reject him as a party. Fuck them.; 2/26/13, 7:46 PM
Lydia said...: Is there any daylight between Ron Paul's and Hagel's views on Israel or Iran? Uh, no.

I think Papa Ron sat down with Rand and reminded him of that.; 2/26/13, 7:51 PM
Ipso Fatso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/26/13, 8:02 PM
dreams said...: The Democrats act as one, never straying from the party line because with them it is all about politics not doing what is best for the country. The Republicans don't do that because that isn't the reason they became involved in government. Most Republicans get involved in politics after having been successful in some other profession and they feel that given their experience and proven competence they can improve our country so when elected they vote their conscious rather than the party line however misguided politically it often is. Rand Paul is the personification of that type of Republican.; 2/26/13, 8:02 PM
Original Mike said...: "And hold him accountable for the consequences."

Yeah, like that'll happen.

Unfortunately (very unfortunately) the current landscape only provides for one shot.; 2/26/13, 8:04 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I notice Democrats do not think this way. I'm not all that observant, but I've not seen them give one single inch. Ever. But I have seen them take a mile given half an inch, and create inches to grab miles, and that's understating things by orders or magnitude.

All I know of this guy is what I've been shown just recently and the bits I've seen, that was one very embarrassingly stupid confirmation and this is one dangerous candidate given to careless and damaging inciting statements requiring a lot of denying, backpeddling, clarifying, and forgetting. Perfect fit for this administration's apparent policy of keeping as many things in a continuous state of disruption as possible, but the Democrats would not allow such a thing if the situation were reversed. Conclusion: Democrats are fierce, Republicans are mushy marshmallows with marshmallow balls.; 2/26/13, 8:05 PM
Bender said...: "The president gets to choose political appointees."

Yes. That's why the Constitution makes the Senate go through the superfluous exercise of a confirmation vote. The Founding Fathers wanted to waste everyone's time.

For a supposed constitutionalist, this guy is a complete twit.; 2/26/13, 8:07 PM
somefeller said...: You know what I'm looking forward to? Obama's second term Supreme Court appointments, especially if Scalia leaves the Court. Those proceedings will lead to many enjoyable comments here, as well as the appointment of some fine jurists. Is anyone else excited?; 2/26/13, 8:09 PM
Ipso Fatso said...: "And hold him accountable for the consequences."

Obama knows his place in history is secure. The press are nothing more than comfort girls for D politicians and liberal ideas, particularly his due to him being black. Do you honestly think that Andrea Mitchell, David Gregory, Chris Matthews, et al., will ever utter a negative view of Obama or call him on any of his hypocrisy or stupidity? Ditto for the fiercely independent historians at your local state or private university.; 2/26/13, 8:11 PM
dreams said...: Liberals write the history with only an occasional revisionist history such as the two books by Amity Shlaes, The Forgotten Man and Calvin Coolidge.; 2/26/13, 8:22 PM
edutcher said...: somefeller said...

You know what I'm looking forward to? Obama's second term Supreme Court appointments, especially if Scalia leaves the Court. Those proceedings will lead to many enjoyable comments here, as well as the appointment of some fine jurists. Is anyone else excited?

Especially if it's Ginsburg or Breyer, who are at least as likely, if not more.

They'll be taking your rights as much as anyone else's, not to mention setting up stuff like the death camps.

Or is some phony folksy so foolish and so vain to think he's part of the elect?

The useless idiots are always first to go to the wall.; 2/26/13, 8:27 PM
dreams said...: I've given up on our country and so I've intentionally downgraded myself from emotionally involved to an interested observer, trying to anyway.; 2/26/13, 8:27 PM
Hagar said...: Obama wants a weak and befuddled Secretary of Defense without friends in either party while the Obama does a number on the military.

His cabinet as a group must be the least distinguished in our history. I don't think any of them hold any respect within their departments.

The idea is to govern out the back entrance of the White House.; 2/26/13, 8:38 PM
somefeller said...: not to mention setting up stuff like the death camps.

Now that's just a small helping of the humorous comment goodness that I'm talking about! The commentary during the confirmation hearings will be epic and I look forward to it. As well as the end result of the hearings.; 2/26/13, 8:39 PM
virgil xenophon said...: God, SO many are on tgt here with their comments. Chef Mojo and cubanbob, for one, and dreams@8:0, Chip Ahoy@8:05, Bender@8:07 and Ipso Facto@8:11 for another..

And could Lydia@7:51 be right? God I hope not...but..; 2/26/13, 8:43 PM
virgil xenophon said...: **dreams@8:02; 2/26/13, 8:44 PM
virgil xenophon said...: ***Sorry Ipso Fatso, lol. Barbancourt has control of my fingers tonight, I see..; 2/26/13, 8:46 PM
virgil xenophon said...: And to expand on Chip Ahoy's comments, I remember years ago when Chris Mathews was semi-sane when he was on CNBC when he once commented on his show that: "Democrats are like Communists--and I should know--I worked for Tip O' Neil. Politics is their life and they work at it 24/7/365. They are always the last persons awake at the most boring but vital county commission meetings, etc. It's their total unwqavering constant focus that wins them elections and regulatory power."; 2/26/13, 8:53 PM
edutcher said...: Really.

Care to explain to us why DHS is buying up all that ammo (1.6 billion rounds, to be precise), ordered a slew of new targets showing pregnant women, children and old people (all white, of course), and why they're building facilities out in the middle of nowhere?

Barry told us he wanted a Civilian Defense Corpse right along with the military, now it looks like he doing it.

What, O what, could it be for, one wonders?

And you don't hear some phony folksy denying any of it, either.

Lessee now, they're letting hundreds of illegals out of jail, putting up drones (doubling the number, in fact) to spy on us, telling us our electronic devices may be confiscated if we travel along the border, and designating Americans who are “suspicious of centralized federal authority,” and “reverent of individual liberty” as “extreme right-wing” terrorists.

No reason to worry there.

Of course not.

Nothing to see, move along.

Keep laughing, moron.

You'll be the hit of the cattle car to Dachau-on-the-Brazos.; 2/26/13, 8:56 PM
Gahrie said...: And hold him accountable for the consequences.

And just exactly when, if ever, has Barack Obama ever been held accountable for anything he has ever done? And by whom?; 2/26/13, 8:57 PM
somefeller said...: You'll be the hit of the cattle car to Dachau-on-the-Brazos.

More humorous goodness! I particularly like the reference to the birthplace of Texas. Well played. And don't forget, the truth is out there! In a black helicopter, of course.; 2/26/13, 9:01 PM
Gahrie said...: somefeller:

I'm not a black helicopter guy by any means, but you do realize your intellectual grandfather was making the same sort of remarks in Berlin in 1932?; 2/26/13, 9:03 PM
somefeller said...: And Virgil, how can you ignore edutcher's creativity and insight when you list the writers of good comments here? What a shameful oversight.; 2/26/13, 9:03 PM
Tom said...: Rand's right. We (as a nation) elected Obama. Don't rob us of the opportunity to live with the consequences our (as a nation) actions. Rand's coming accross as principled. This will probably get him destroyed in Washington but I'm proud of him.; 2/26/13, 9:06 PM
john marzan said...: libertarian rand paul supports hagel because sen. paul also wants to shrink the military more.; 2/26/13, 9:28 PM
Chef Mojo said...: No. Rand Paul is not right. Rand Paul is a moral coward, just like his father.

He's proven himself to be a poseur sonofabitch, without the balls to to stand up to Obama's pathetic excuse of a nominee.

You know who didn't vote for cloture or for Hagel?

Ted Cruz, that's who.

That's a man that has balls.; 2/26/13, 9:29 PM
edutcher said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/26/13, 9:32 PM
edutcher said...: somefeller said...

You'll be the hit of the cattle car to Dachau-on-the-Brazos.

More humorous goodness! I particularly like the reference to the birthplace of Texas. Well played. And don't forget, the truth is out there! In a black helicopter, of course.

Actually, it's in a DHS drone.

It's called whistling past the graveyard.

But I see you don't deny any of it.

And he might also want to laugh off the fact Social Security has bought 175,000 rounds of ammo and the National Weather Service 50,000.

Who are they going to shoot, old meteorologists?

Waiting for answers to these questions.

And wondering what some phony folksy is doing lurking on Althouse when he has to get up in the morning so he can go to the "office."; 2/26/13, 9:36 PM
garage mahal said...: How many Jews did Hagel kill today?; 2/26/13, 9:43 PM
edutcher said...: It's early yet.; 2/26/13, 9:49 PM
Aridog said...: Republicans, including fey Randy Paul, cave-in and help confirm Hagel. No surprise there. Hey, he's at least as qualified as Hillary was for State...right?; 2/26/13, 10:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Advise and consent apparently means advise and roll over for media tummy rubs. Pathetic.; 2/26/13, 10:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Advise and consent apparently means advise and roll over for media tummy rubs. Pathetic.; 2/26/13, 10:43 PM
mccullough said...: Hagel came off as an incompetent fool at his hearing. That is reason enough to vote against him.; 2/26/13, 11:02 PM
Revenant said...: I do wish people would stop acting like Hagel's confirmation is a Sign of the Apocalypse.

Exactly who were you thinking Obama might appoint who would be desirable in the position?

Sheesh, Kerry was a far worse choice for State than Hagel is for Defense and nobody's pitching a fit that his confirmation went through...; 2/26/13, 11:32 PM
Dante said...: Isn't this the exact problem of being principled? If you are principled, and the opposition is not, guess who loses? That is, unless many share your principles. Unfortunately, the press does not share the principles, and brainwash the entire populace. So the populace doesn't know what a principle is.; 2/26/13, 11:42 PM
Joe Schmoe said...: And hold him accountable for the consequences.

AH HA HA HA HA HA! Good one Ann. Oh gosh, where are the tissues...

The only thing Obama is being held accountable for is why isn't he even more awesome than he already is.; 2/27/13, 5:02 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: Revenant, in isolation I guess the Hagel pick isn't so bad, but the accretion of all the preceding bad decisions, without consequence, is creating a seemingly unbalanced response. I'm okay with that.; 2/27/13, 5:12 AM
edutcher said...: somefeller said...

And don't forget, the truth is out there! In a black helicopter, of course.

Now that he raised it, one other question some phony folksy might want to answer:

How 'bout all those black helicopters zooming around Houston a couple of weeks ago?; 2/27/13, 5:18 AM
Colonel Angus said...: Yes. Exactly. Torment them. And then give the President what he wants.

And hold him accountable for the consequences.

I've been saying this since he got re-elected.; 2/27/13, 5:37 AM
Dante said...: Colonel:

I've been saying this since he got re-elected

I think you can say this until you become blue!

Seriously, think about how much easier it must be to accept the irresponsibility. Less stressful, go with the flow, even think "Wow, those are all good ideas, the world is getting better and I don't have to do anything."

Such a nicer frame of mind. Living in CA, it would be good too. Yes, Obama, Obamo! Free money. More taxes is good. Blah, Blah, Blah. Someone else will raise your kids.; 2/27/13, 6:39 AM
machine said...: So it's just politics...again....what strength, what character!

Brave Sir Rand....; 2/27/13, 6:59 AM
Rusty said...: edutcher said...
Really.

Care to explain to us why DHS is buying up all that ammo (1.6 billion rounds, to be precise), ordered a slew of new targets showing pregnant women, children and old people (all white, of course), and why they're building facilities out in the middle of nowhere?

Barry told us he wanted a Civilian Defense Corpse right along with the military, now it looks like he doing it.

What, O what, could it be for, one wonders?

And you don't hear some phony folksy denying any of it, either.

Lessee now, they're letting hundreds of illegals out of jail, putting up drones (doubling the number, in fact) to spy on us, telling us our electronic devices may be confiscated if we travel along the border, and designating Americans who are “suspicious of centralized federal authority,” and “reverent of individual liberty” as “extreme right-wing” terrorists.

No reason to worry there.

Of course not.

Nothing to see, move along.

Keep laughing, moron.

You'll be the hit of the cattle car to Dachau-on-the-Brazos.

I don't think they're foolish enough to try anything like that.
I think all the ammunition buying is a rather ham handed gun control measure.; 2/27/13, 7:04 AM
Comanche Voter said...: Accountable for choices?

Well the American People are sure as hell going to be accountable for their choices in re-electing the Bamster.

The old saying, "Fool me once, it's your fault, Fool me twice, it's my fault." comes into play here.

He'll skip and dodge and duck and whine and point the finger at somebody else---but we knew that when we (re)elected him.; 2/27/13, 7:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Gawd, Edutcher at his finest, thanks for the laughs, Somefeller:) I'm looking forward to the SC hearings too one day.; 2/27/13, 8:18 AM
Aridog said...: Revenant said...

I do wish people would stop acting like Hagel's confirmation is a Sign of the Apocalypse.

You have a point, it is not the apocalypse, merely the continuation of increasing US mediocrity and mendacious management. It's not the Book of Revelations, it IS the implementation of Cloward-Pivens.

Sheesh, Kerry was a far worse choice for State than Hagel is for Defense and nobody's pitching a fit that his confirmation went through...

Not exactly nobody, but those who object have given up. Period. From my perspective Kerry should have been shot as a traitor in 1972. Kerry is an immoral, unethical, traitorous rent seeking moron of the first order. My dislike for Kerry far, far, exceeds antipathy I might have for anyone else in the administration including Obama, who is merely elected prince acting as court ignorant jester, as "Teh Parteh" requires.; 2/27/13, 8:19 AM
Known Unknown said...: I don't think they're foolish enough to try anything like that.
I think all the ammunition buying is a rather ham handed gun control measure.

Yeah, I can see that.

Two things: Why were they granted the authority to purchase so much ammunition? And ... is "ammunition purchasing" a set part of their budget, or are they going off book to scarf this stuff up?; 2/27/13, 10:25 AM
Aridog said...: EMD asks...

Two things: Why were they granted the authority to purchase so much ammunition? And ... is "ammunition purchasing" a set part of their budget, or are they going off book to scarf this stuff up?

"Two things," one answer: Continuing Resolutions and no formal appropriated budget to off book on in the first place.; 2/27/13, 11:08 AM
Revenant said...: Care to explain to us why DHS is buying up all that ammo (1.6 billion rounds, to be precise)

The 1.6 billion rounds story is based on a misunderstanding of the requisition process. It is off by several orders of magnitude.; 2/27/13, 2:19 PM
Aridog said...: Revenant said...

Reference: "Care to explain to us why DHS is buying up all that ammo (1.6 billion rounds, to be precise)"

The 1.6 billion rounds story is based on a misunderstanding of the requisition process. It is off by several orders of magnitude.

I never could figure out how that figure was arrived at by so many people. Before anyone credits any RFP or RFQ info as credible, I recommend they query FedBizOpps dot gov for all RFP's and RFQ's for material, materiel, or services in specific lots or IDIQ lots. Trust me, you will find enough **surprises** there without inflation.

An sample query is here for Federal Supply Class 13 [aka Classification code], ammunition, at Fort Brag , for non-standard cartridges. The request number here starts with the DODAAC number for the contracting location...e.g., it is the DOD Activity Address Code that in a separate Db will instruct on delivery and billing addresses. The FSC [Federal Supply Class]is important to identify to narrow the query search.; 2/27/13, 3:02 PM
Aridog said...: I doubt if anyone is still reading this thread, but...no matter, I need to clarify my comment...and the reason I selected the sample RFP I did....in case it pops up in archives someday.

Proposals, like my sample, as well as the initial one by DHS, are frequently requested to determine availability and production capacity for a given item...e.g., they are not purchases per se. Normally, if a proposal is received meeting the request criteria, and an actual need exists for the items currently, a IDIQ contract will be executed...e.g., Indefinite Delivery & Indefinite Quantity, which can have "calls" placed against it...or not, if the need fails to materialize.

To determine this you need to read the RFP for words like "conducting market research to determine the existence of interested sources capable of providing all of the following...".; 2/28/13, 1:35 PM