Post date: Jan 07, 2013 12:41:1 PM
U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to name former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to be his defense secretary.
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (NBC) - Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday (January 06) former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel will face "tough questions" and "will be treated fairly" by Republicans in the senate during his confirmation process.
U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to nominate Senator Hagel to be his Defense Secretary with an announcement expected to come as early as on Monday (January 7)."I think there will be a lot of tough questions for Senator Hagel, but he will be treated fairly about Republicans in the senate," said Senate Minority Leader McConnell during an interview in a syndicated U.S. television show on Sunday.
The choice will likely set up a confirmation battle in the Senate over whether the former Nebraska Senator strongly supports key U.S. ally Israel. Hagel also has been criticized for comments he made questioning the effectiveness of sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program.
"His views with regard to Israel, for example, and Iran and all the other positions that he's taken over the years, you know, I think that they're a matter of discussion during the confirmation process," added Senator Mcconnell.
This fight would come after the Obama administration backed down from a tough Senate confirmation battle overSusan Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations who was Obama's first pick to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Rice withdrew her name from consideration after drawing heavy fire from Republicans for remarks she made in the aftermath of a September 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.
Independent Senator for the State of Maine, Angus King, during the same TV show, disagreed regarding the norm attached to confirming a presidential cabinet member by the Senate. According to Senator King a president should have the mandate and discretion to appoint the team of his choice, however, when needed to be confirmed, Hagel will face "serious questions" before his nomination has the Senate's meeting of the minds.
"Let me just share my standard because I have thought about this, I start with the premise that the President should be able to appoint his own people. As a member of the cabinet. I think the standard is different for a cabinet member than it is for a Judge who is in for life, so I start with that premise but, I am going to ask some serious questions, hear from Senator Hagel about the issues, he is a guy with a distinguished record and I am going to listen to the answers," said Senator King.
Last month, Obama offered strong support for Hagel as a possible replacement for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who had said he wanted to leave early in the second term.