[h=3]By TENNILLE TRACY[/h]Republican senators on Sunday took a skeptical view of President Barack Obama's expected nomination of Chuck Hagel to be secretary of defense, questioning the former GOP lawmaker's stances on Iran and Israel.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), appearing on CNN, said Mr. Hagel "was out of the mainstream of thinking…on most issues regarding foreign policy. Newly elected Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) was also unsupportive of the potential nomination, saying on Fox News that he would find it difficult to vote to confirm Mr. Hagel, a former Nebraska senator.
Mr. Graham said Mr. Hagel had been too soft on Iran and hasn't shown adequate support for Israel. Mr. Hagel, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has opposed some sanctions on Iran aimed at stopping that nation's nuclear program and has instead favored negotiations.
Mr. Graham said he believed Mr. Hagel "would be the most antagonistic secretary of defense toward the state of Israel in our nation's history." Mr. Hagel's nomination would be an "in-your-face nomination by the president," he said.
Previously, Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) had said he would oppose Mr. Hagel's nomination.
Newly elected Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) defended Mr. Hagel on Sunday, praising his military and legislative service. "Chuck Hagel is a tremendous patriot and statesmen," she said on ABC. "This kind of fight is the kind of fight that the people of this country get so frustrated by."
Mr. Hagel wasn't available to comment.
The White House has told allies that Mr. Hagel is the president's likely pick for the defense post and that an announcement could come this week, though people familiar with events cautioned last week that Mr. Obama hadn't given final sign-off to the nomination. If confirmed, Mr. Hagel would succeed Leon Panetta.
Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said that "if Sen. Hagel is nominated, he'll be subjected to the same kind of review of his credentials as anyone else."
Mr. Graham's comments suggest that Mr. Hagel's nomination could set up a confirmation battle in the Senate. Mr. Graham stopped short of threatening a filibuster to block the nomination, but he said: "This will be a controversial choice." He also said that the former Nebraska senator had "long severed his ties with the Republican Party." Mr. Hagel endorsed Mr. Obama for president in 2008.
Write to Tennille Tracy at [email protected]
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), appearing on CNN, said Mr. Hagel "was out of the mainstream of thinking…on most issues regarding foreign policy. Newly elected Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) was also unsupportive of the potential nomination, saying on Fox News that he would find it difficult to vote to confirm Mr. Hagel, a former Nebraska senator.
Mr. Graham said Mr. Hagel had been too soft on Iran and hasn't shown adequate support for Israel. Mr. Hagel, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has opposed some sanctions on Iran aimed at stopping that nation's nuclear program and has instead favored negotiations.
Mr. Graham said he believed Mr. Hagel "would be the most antagonistic secretary of defense toward the state of Israel in our nation's history." Mr. Hagel's nomination would be an "in-your-face nomination by the president," he said.
Previously, Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) had said he would oppose Mr. Hagel's nomination.
Newly elected Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) defended Mr. Hagel on Sunday, praising his military and legislative service. "Chuck Hagel is a tremendous patriot and statesmen," she said on ABC. "This kind of fight is the kind of fight that the people of this country get so frustrated by."
Mr. Hagel wasn't available to comment.
The White House has told allies that Mr. Hagel is the president's likely pick for the defense post and that an announcement could come this week, though people familiar with events cautioned last week that Mr. Obama hadn't given final sign-off to the nomination. If confirmed, Mr. Hagel would succeed Leon Panetta.
Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said that "if Sen. Hagel is nominated, he'll be subjected to the same kind of review of his credentials as anyone else."
Mr. Graham's comments suggest that Mr. Hagel's nomination could set up a confirmation battle in the Senate. Mr. Graham stopped short of threatening a filibuster to block the nomination, but he said: "This will be a controversial choice." He also said that the former Nebraska senator had "long severed his ties with the Republican Party." Mr. Hagel endorsed Mr. Obama for president in 2008.
Write to Tennille Tracy at [email protected]