Former Sen. Chuck Hagel and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta meet at Washington hotel last May in Defense Dept. photo
Log Cabin Republicans, a gay group, is running expensive full-page ads in the Washington Post and New York Times opposing Obama’s nomination former Nebraska GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense to replace Californian Leon Panetta.
Log Cabin cites a 1998 Hagel statement opposing Clinton-nominated Luxembourg ambassador James Hormel as “openly, aggressively, gay,” Hagel’s vote for the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, his support for Nebraska’s constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, his 1999 opposition to repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and his opposition to a judicial ruling in 2005 that the Nebraska marriage ban was unconstitutional.
California gay activist Rick Jacobs, head of the Courage Campaign, smells a rat.
In a telephone interview, Jacobs called Log Cabin a “self-loathing group” desperate to remain relevant and that the group “deserves a place in The Onion.”
Jacobs pointed out that Log Cabin backed Republican Mitt Romney for president as recently as two months ago, despite Romney’s support in the campaign for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, not to mention Romney’s support for DOMA.
Jacobs said former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, imposed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and signed DOMA.
Asked about Hagel’s comments about Hormel, Jacobs replied, “You mean the comments Bill Clinton made? Because Bill Clinton is the one who gave us Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. It took us a generation and a half to dismantle what Bill Clinton gave us. Bill Clinton gave us DOMA. We are still fighting to dismantle that.”
Hagel is a decorated Vietnam veteran and was a rare vocal Republican foe of the Iraq War during the Bush administration, speaking frequently and forcefully against the war from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But while Democrat John Kerry’s nomination to be Secretary of State is expected to sail through the Senate with GOP support, Hagel is facing stiff resistance from pro-war Republicans.
Sen. Lindsey Graham told CNN Sunday Hagel would be “the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation’s history.” Them’s fighting words.
Jacobs a personal friend of Hagel, called him a man of “incredible integrity” whose appointment is critical “at a time when the future of the U.S. defense complex is on the table, or certainly should be. When we’re looking at cutting budgets and when the Defense Department clearly needs to be cut because the whole mission of the military complex needs to be redefined.”
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force weighed in with “concerns.” OutServe-SLDN, representing gay and lesbian military members, demanded that Hagel immediately extend full benefits to married LGBT military. The group took a slightly more pro-Hagel tone Monday, calling Hagel “exceptionally qualified,” but said he must address “significant challenges” that remain for LGBT service members.
Panetta strongly endorsed Hagel as “a man of complete integrity and deep patriotism.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA and Senate Intelligence Committee chair, endorsed Hagel Monday.
Feinstein said she found Hagel during his time on the Intelligence Committee from 2003-2008 “to be a knowledgeable and independent voice with a strong grasp of the pressing national security issues facing our country.”
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., sounds as if she has issues re Israel: “I will follow former Senator Hagel’s confirmation process very closely to ensure that he shares the president’s commitment to a secure Middle East, full equality for LGBT service members and their families, and equal opportunity for leadership roles and access to reproductive health care for women in the military.”
Update Tuesday: GetEqual, an LGBT group that pressures reluctant Democrats on gay issues, came out solidly against Hagel, saying his voting record is “more troubling” than his comments, with a 4 percent score by the Human Rights Campaign.