The first post-midterm Obama cabinet head to roll is apparently going to be that of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. NY Times:
The president, who is expected to announce Mr. Hagel’s resignation in a Rose Garden appearance on Monday, made the decision to ask his defense secretary — the sole Republican on his national security team — to step down last Friday after a series of meetings over the past two weeks, senior administration officials said.
The officials described Mr. Obama’s decision to remove Mr. Hagel, 68, as a recognition that the threat from the Islamic State would require a different kind of skills than those that Mr. Hagel was brought on to employ. A Republican with military experience who was skeptical about the Iraq war, Mr. Hagel came in to manage the Afghanistan combat withdrawal and the shrinking Pentagon budget in the era of budget sequestration.
But now “the next couple of years will demand a different kind of focus,” one administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. He insisted that Mr. Hagel was not fired, saying that he initiated discussions about his future two weeks ago with the president, and that the two men mutually agreed that it was time for him to leave.
But Mr. Hagel’s aides had maintained in recent weeks that he expected to serve the full four years term as defense secretary. His removal appears to be an effort by the White House to show that it is sensitive to critics who have pointed to stumbles in the government’s early response to several national security issues, including the Ebola crisis to the threat posed by the Islamic State militant group.
Take that as you will. Holder resigning, now Hagel out. Looks like the GOP Senate is going to be able to cause a lot of damage blocking cabinet appointees with the President no longer able to make recess appointments except for a narrow window after the midterm lame duck session.
JPL
No one else will be confirmed.
Elmo
He had damn well better have an AG and SecDef ready for the recess, and for that matter, a half-dozen judges and a dozen other govt officials.
I entertain a dream of Kennedy stepping down unexpectedly and a recess appointment to take his place. My joy would be boundless.
Betty Cracker
I’m not Hagel’s biggest fan, but he was decidedly dovish on further Middle East entanglements, and much of the criticism of him was in response to that. I hope this move doesn’t signal a departure from that path.
El Caganer
Might be a while before we get the full story. Some of this doesn’t make a lot of sense – WTF does Chuck Hagel have to do with Ebola?
JPL
@Betty Cracker: Me too.
Helene Cooper had the scoop so I wonder why?
Mike in NC
Hagel was always in way over his head and had no business being SECDEF.
Zandar
@Betty Cracker: With the Iran nuclear deal still up in the air I would hope not.
Doc Sportello
How does the Ebola crisis fit in the portfolio of the Secretary of Defense?
I’m assuming we’re taking about the response in the good ole’ USA, as most of the African countries seem to have a stand-up job containing Ebola.
Zandar
@Mike in NC: No, Rumsfeld had no business being SecDef. Hagel was just…meh. Meh is not a crime, he just was…meh.
JPL
@Zandar: Do you think the President will be able to do recess appointments before Mitch takes over? If so, I see another lawsuit in the making.
The announcement comes at 11:10.
FlipYrWhig
@Doc Sportello:
They did send U.S. troops to West Africa.
TR
The president should change course and appoint a Republican to show that he’s finally, finally serious about reaching out across the aisle.
What? Hagel’s a what now?
Chris
@Betty Cracker:
Co-signed.
SiubhanDuinne
Most sources have it now, although interestingly NPR had nary a word about the story just now in their top-of-the-hour newscast.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Oh great, the one guy who thinks Middle Eastern adventuring is not a good idea is leaving?
Fan-fucking-tastic. I look forward to the inevitable catastrophe.
CONGRATULATIONS!
The one guy who understands that nation-building in the Middle East is not what the armed forces are for is headed out the door?
Fuck, it’s a neocon holiday now.
I look forward to the remaining years of Obama’s tenure not at all.
Mustang Bobby
Louie Gohmert was right all along: that speaking engagement with Friends of Hamas finally caught up with him.
Belafon
LGF, based on some twitter comments, is speculating that it has something to do with Hagel’s push to have the Obama administration go after Assad. Which would be the opposite of what you’re thinking, @CONGRATULATIONS!.
Zandar
@JPL: Oh, the “President had better not think about making any more illegal recess appointments” press releases will be out before the close of business and on FOX the rest of the the week.
rikyrah
Had no problems with Hagel.
Mr. Prosser
You didn’t include the statement that Hagel said he would stay on until his replacement was confirmed, same with Holder. You will see them around for quite awhile, maybe for the next two years
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I like Hagel, but he was slow to figure that out Among possible replacements I’ve seen, Jack Reed and Carl Levin mentioned, both voted against the Iraq War in the first place. I don’t know much about Michele Flournoy
@rikyrah: me neither, and the anonymous staffers pissing on him as he leaves aren’t doing anyone any favors, except Chuck Todd and Maureen Dowd
HermanNewticks
With no possibility of confirmations and concerted effort to avoid recesses, let’s hope POB is happy with the #2 at DOD. Is that Robert O. Work?
Mnemosyne
@JPL:
I’m assuming it’s going to be the same announcement as Eric Holder’s — Holder is going to stay in place as Attorney General until the Republicans confirm a replacement. Personally, I like the strategy since it puts the Republicans into a nicely difficult spot: what do they want more, to get rid of Holder or to deny Obama a new appointment? They can’t have both, so they have to pick one.
Zandar
@Mr. Prosser: Ahh, okay. Then yes, Hagel’s not going anywhere.
jayboat
Is the administration trolling the base again?
I keep sticking on the “until a replacement is named” phrase.
It will be ugly, but my guess is two years goes by quick with the 24/7 screech machine cranked to 11.
Will someone stroke out live on air? Tune in to find out.
Hal
As crazy as the gop is I just can’t see them being able to justify not confirming a Secretary of Defense. Even low information voters would be disturbed by that.
Elizabelle
I would ADORE it if PBO nominated Hillary Clinton, and she announced she would like to serve as SecDef for the rest of his term.
Three or four birds with that stone, and maybe shakes up the “inevitable” Democratic 2016 race.
She’s been a Senator, she’s been Sec of State. How is she NOT qualified?
ETA: if it’s ebola and biohazards, the Clinton Foundation does a lot of public health work, doesn’t it?
Would not take her long to come up to speed, and she’d enjoy sticking it to the GOP.
Hillary for SODefense!!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Elizabelle: Heh. I was thinking of Jim Webb as a trolling appointment. If nothing else, it would be fun to watch him take on McCain one-to-one.
john carter
What would happen if Obama appointed a current (and/or newly elected) Republican Senator to that position – or maybe to a couple of such positions? Would the Republicans block the nominations once they realized enough of those current and/or newly elected Senators could then be replaced by possibly Democratic Governors knowing the balance of power in the Senate might then revert to the Democrats?
Would be interesting to see the Republican spin blockng their own or refusing to serve.
CONGRATULATIONS!
@Hal: This seems to be Obama’s strategy for the next two years: bait the GOP into doing and saying incredibly stupid shit on a weekly basis. Can’t say I like it as a form of governance but he really doesn’t have a lot of effective options left.
srv
Ah, Obama’s Iraq, Afghanistan and Ebola strategeries are Hagel’s fault. Gates, Panetta, it’s all their fault.
Next up, General Dempsey.
Then there will be no adults left in the room.
JPL
Just amazing that the networks can carry this but not a major immigration announcement.
Elizabelle
SecDef must be a Democrat, IMHO. Enough of this “Republicans are better at national security.”
They truly are not, Bill Cohen and Chuck Hagel having served honorably notwithstanding.
Elizabelle
@JPL:
It’s national security! As the networks define such. As in: $$$$ for our defense contractor sponsors.
That and cruise ships.
JPL
Chuck stays put until his replacement is confirmed. I guess he will serve out the remainder of the two years.
Chris
@CONGRATULATIONS!:
Given his options, I think I like it. Highlighting just how fucking nuts and uninterested in governing they are is the best thing he can do for whoever’s running in 2016.
JPL
This is the nicest, speech for someone who was forced to resign.
Chris
@Elizabelle:
This +1,000.
Elizabelle
ABC and NBC covering this in DC; CBS is not. It’s got “The Price is Right”, I think, which is kind of the Defense department in a nutshell, if you ask me.
Kind of cruel to make Chuck Hagel stand there. He and Biden look like somber bookends to PBO.
Elizabelle
@JPL:
I don’t see where it helps anyone to have a demoralized SecDef who clearly is not serving at the pleasure of the President. I hope for Hagel’s sake a good DEMOCRAT is confirmed forthwith.
Not a warhawk, please.
boatboy_srq
@Betty Cracker: It occurs to me that the timing is spectacularly bad if the US is pushed for major engagement – like, for example, supporting FSA over ISIL or Assad, or reengaging in Iraq, or pushing the Taliban back, or ramping up on the 38th parallel to support South Korea,… basically anywhere the Reichwing would want a US military presence and not take No for an answer. So in terms of POTUS’ potential agenda, the timing is actually extremely good. Hagel’s departure may be part of a plan to forestall the Next Big
WarPolice ActionMilitary InterventionApocalypse From RevelationsInternational Quagmire Nobody But The GOTea Wants: with no SecDef, and a Congress committed to Thwarting theNi-CLANGPresident, BHO can cite a lack of key personnel as a reason we can’t bomb [insert Teahadi dream target here] and unless Congress gives him a Cabinet-level appointee which they’re extremely unlikely to do then his hands are tied and the US stays out. No SecDef, no War Pr0n.Gene108
@Hal:
IIRC some GOOP’ers were threatening to filibuster Hagel, because of his political beliefs or some such.
Was not imagining things.
Stormy confirmation http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/chuck-hagel-facing-colleagues-defense-secretary-nominee/story?id=18365695
Only four Republicans voted to confirm Hagel. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-ticket/defense-secretary-nominee-hagel-faces-big-step-confirmation-114702931–politics.html
Though 18 Republicans did vote for cloture along with Democrats, to allow his nomination yo come for a floor vote.
In short, 90% of the Senate GOP voted against one of their own from working with Obama. I think they will have no problem leaving cabinet positions vacant for two years.
Low info voters probably could not name the VP and probably do not know we have had an AG, since the Washington Administration, and do not care one bit about the Sec of Defense.
GregB
Any truth to the rumors that the ghost of Ho Chi Minh, Bill Ayers and Louis Farrakhan are on the Sec. Def. short list?
JPL
@Elizabelle: So when Hagel takes the podium, the news networks cut back. Maybe the networks are afraid that Hagel’s words won’t fit into their narrative.
Elizabelle
@JPL:
Isn’t that sickening?
ETA: I have C-Span 1 on, but about to head outside to commence Leaf Raking, Vol. 2.
El Caganer
@Elizabelle: Maybe they were hoping he’d stick the shiv in, like Gates and Panetta?
JPL
@Elizabelle: Yup.
CONGRATULATIONS!
@JPL: The chance he may some something mean about Israel are far too high to allow him to speak in public.
Gene108
@Chris:
I disagree. Republicans are behaving like a criminal enterprise running an extortion racket.
They are basically stating, “it’d be a shame, if you ever elected another Democrat, because ‘someone’ might come in and break somethings” and for the most part the media has decided this is the natural order of things.
Make things so ungovernable and toxic, with a a Democrat in the White House, that voters say, “fuck it, the Democrats don’t do crap but get into scandals or get nothing done” and enough vote Republican that they win in 2016.
The strategy gave them a chance in 2000 and helped turn the South into a solidly Republican stronghold.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Epic trollery: Biden to the Pentagon, replaced by…… HILLARY!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Gene108: that was pretty much the McConnell/Cantor game plan from January ’09
srv
This is really great news for John McCain.
LOL. Hagel was as close to a not-warhawk as you’ll ever get under Obama. The war-mongers just won.
This is how the generals got rid of “let’s let go of the bicycle seat and GTFO” Rumsfeld and later got their surge on.
I think Obama has to put Iran on the table if he’s wanting that Presidential Library. Not many bargaining chips left.
Gene108
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
It has worked for them, as the MSM has not held Republicans accountable for their unprecedented obstruction.
I remember, early on, Obama trying to black ball Fox News because he rightfully called them out for being the right-wing shills that they are, but the rest of the MSM got pissed off and had Fox’s back against the White House, implying that to the MSM Fox is just another objective media outlet.
JPL
@srv: McCain has already released a statement saying that the White House micromanages and wouldn’t listen to Hagel.
CONGRATULATIONS!
@srv: Yep.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@JPL: that lends some credence to the rumors that Hagel wanted to focus on Assad @Belafon:
Elie
@El Caganer:
He allowed the military to defy the administration’s desire to implement the 21 day observe but not quarantine military coming back from setting up logistics (not caring for patients) in Africa. That was a slap in the face to what the administration was trying to accomplish. He was not a help to the administration and I am not sure at all (as Betty seems to believe), that he was more of a dove. No way. His leaked memo to Rice questioning what he knows to be a very crazy situation in Syria vis a vis which “side” we are on was also right in the vein on Pancetta — also right before the mid-terms. He needed to be gone and I viewed his behavior as untrustworthy
GregB
Pancetta-Pannini 2016.
Spinwheel
The Obama ground war in Syria is now assured.
But don’t worry I’m sure Hill will do a great job when she takes over and we’re still fighting in 2022.
How many more Defense Secretaries will she go through?
srv
@JPL: Two birds, one stone, plus some bro-Senatorial lurv.
JPL
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Just want we need, another country without a leader.
Democracy for all of those who survive the bloodbath.
Betty Cracker
@Jim, Foolish Literalist & @Belafon: Have y’all seen any source for that notion that isn’t speculative analysis from LGF? I haven’t. Not saying it’s not true; I just don’t consider LGF all that credible, and it seems out of character for Hagel to advocate an all-out push for Assad’s head.
McCain uses any incident as an excuse to dribble more sour grapes about the guy who kicked his ass in 2008. His reaction is immaterial, IMO.
Belafon
@Betty Cracker: I personally don’t consider any one site reliable, this or LGF, or the NYT, which was the only place I could find the initial report of the resignation.
Here’s what it’s based on: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/30/politics/hagel-starr-syria-memo-white-house/
Hal
So because Hagel is out it’s all out war now? Obama has been pretty consistent in his desire not to ramp up and re-read on some massive level. Hagel leaving does not automatically mean that has changed.
Spinwheel
@Hal: Why get rid of Hagel then? There was no scandal, meaning that there’s another reason. That reason has to be that Obama is holding Hagel responsible for the numerous screw ups so far in dealing with Islamic State. That has to mean a much more warlike position is on the way.
srv
@Betty Cracker: Pat Lang calls this the Children’s War.
The WH/NSC drove Libya and then Syria. Hillary was along for the ride, as was Hagel. Now Hagel gets the blame because he wasn’t pro getting rid of Assad, he would not bomb for the children.
Hillary, at least, was smart enough to get out first and blame the nation builders for not nation building hard enough. Stabbed them in the back with their own dagger.
If Dempsey stays, there will be boots.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@srv: Meh.
Do you really think that after all Obama has been through that he’s going to want to put “boots” on the ground in Syria? Really?
The only way the US would be involved in Syria in a “boots on the ground” way (e.g. not advisers, but real combat units) is if there were a NATO or UN resolution. Russia and China would veto any UN action. You think Europe wants to be involved in Syria?
Obama cashiered Petraeus and McCrystal when they got too big for their britches and thought they could push him around. Obama’s in charge. The generals will carry out his policies or say hello to retirement.
Hagel’s officially gone for whatever reasons. It doesn’t mean we’re going to war in a “bootsonaground” way in Syria.
My $0.02.
Cheers,
Scott.
Betty Cracker
@Belafon: That article doesn’t say jack about Hagel urging stronger action against Assad, just that the US should clarify its aims regarding Assad, et al. Which is common sense.
Ruckus
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet:
Your $.02 seem to me to be one of the most logical things I’ve seen here today.
@Betty Cracker:
His reaction is immaterial, IMO
As is everything else about the man.
billb
I vote that Barry appoint all his Cabinet from the Rethuglican Senate where there are Dem Govs. who can replace them with D’s. I would love to see the super-patriots turn down a Duty to Serve their Gahd-Luvin Country.