Sen. Corker Says There Are Questions About Chuck Hagel’s ‘Temperament’
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ABC News(NEW YORK) — Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, expressed concerns about the “temperament” of Chuck Hagel, the man President Obama nominated to be his next Secretary of Defense Sunday morning on “This Week.”
”Just his overall temperament and is he suited to run a department or a big agency or a big entity like the Pentagon,” Corker said. “I think there are numbers of staffers who are coming forth now just talking about the way he has dealt with them. I have, certainly questions, about a lot of things.”
Corker – who said his concerns were not “disqualifying” – added, “I begin all of these confirmation processes with an open mind. I did have a good relationship with him. I had a good conversation with him this week. But I think this is one where people are going to be listening to what he has to say, me in particular … especially some of the positions he’s taken generally speaking about our nuclear posture.”
Hagel, a former senator from Nebraska has come under attack for his positions and past statements on a range of issues, most notably his stance on issues concerning Israel, a key ally of the United States in the Middle East.
Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island said that he expected Hagel to leave his confirmation hearings with strong support and that his experience in the military would serve him well.
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