Ben Shapiro: Political Hack of the Day

Via Joe. My. God. Ben Shapiro has come out with a book making the case to arrest President Barack Obama. Shapiro has a rather dubious journalistic history. Shapiro wrote an article on Breitbart.com claiming a terrorist group called "Friends of Hamas" gave campaign contributions to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

On Thursday, Senate sources told Breitbart News exclusively that they have been informed that one of the reasons that President Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, has not turned over requested documents on his sources of foreign funding is that one of the names listed is a group purportedly called “Friends of Hamas.”

The problem with Shapiro's story is "Friends of Hamas" does not exist. David Weigel looked into "Friends of Hamas" and could find no proof of its existence.

Here's the problem: There's no proof that "Friends of Hamas" actually exists. At best, it's an organization so secret that nobody in government has thought to mention its existence. At worst, it's as fake as Manti Te'o's girlfriend. The Treasury Department, which designates sponsors of terror, has done so to many charities tied to Hamas. "Friends of Hamas" is not among them. The State Department doesn't designate it, either. And a bit less holistically, a Lexis search for the group reveals absolutely nothing.

Weigel contacted Shapiro. Pressed on his sources, Shapiro ducked the question.

But the "Friends" accusation goes further than that. It supposes that a pro-terror group exists, and further supposes that the non-existent group would back Hagel somehow. This morning I wrote Shapiro to clear up the accusation. "Have you found any more proof that this group exists?" I asked. "Is it just shorthand for some people who might support Hagel, or a real group?"

"The original story is the entirety of the information I have," he said.

Shapiro went on Thom Hartmann's show to accuse Sesame Street of spieling anti-liberal propaganda. Hilarity ensues.

Support For Chuck Hagel

Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has endorsed Chuck Hagel to be the next Defense Secretary.

Chuck Hagel has spent his entire life in service to his country. He volunteered to fight in Vietnam and did so bravely, side-by-side with his brother and earning two Purple Hearts. He served as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration for President Ronald Reagan and was President & Chief Executive Officer of the World USO.

He represented the people of Nebraska in the Senate with honor for twelve years and was a coauthor of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Hagel's wisdom and courage make him uniquely qualified to be Secretary of Defense and lead the men and women of our armed forces. Chuck Hagel will be an exceptional leader at an important time.

Retired Maj. Gen. Roger Blunt has also endorsed Hagel.

Among seasoned security professionals, there is little question Hagel is the right man for the job. He has received broad support from leaders on both sides of the political spectrum, including more than 50 U.S. ambassadors and numerous former national security advisers, including Brent Scowcroft, Zbigniew Brzezinski, James Jones and Frank Carlucci. Retired Gen. Colin Powell noted that he’s “a guy who knows veterans, knows the troops.”

This is not idle praise. Hagel’s understanding of the military is informed by his service to this country. He earned two Purple Hearts as a volunteer infantry squad leader in the Vietnam War. When a land mine exploded and nearly killed his younger brother, Hagel dragged him to safety, suffering blown eardrums and severe burns. Reflecting on that experience, he noted, “I’m not a pacifist. I believe in using force, but only after a very careful decision-making process.” Contrary to some of his critics, Hagel will not shoot first and ask questions later on issues of war and peace.

Sen. John McCain admitted that holding up Hagel's confirmation was political payback for Hagel's criticism of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war. Senate Republicans are now using an alleged Hagel link to the terrorist group Friends of Hamas. The only problem is Friends of Hamas doesn't exist. It is a bogus organization created by Andrew Breitbart lackey Ben Shapiro. Dave Weigel fact-checked Shapiro's story and could find no proof that the organization actually exists. That didn't stop right-wing media and bloggers from once again being suckered by the people at Andrew Breitbart's blog empire.

Republicans are so obsessed with blocking Hagel's confirmation that they are resorting to conspiracy theories. Hagel is likely going to get confirmed. Republicans made fools out of themselves for nothing.

Quote of the Day

"But to be honest with you, Neil, it goes back to there’s a lot of ill will towards Senator Hagel because when he was a Republican, he attacked President Bush mercilessly and say he was the worst President since Herbert Hoover and said the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War, which was nonsense. He was anti-his own party and people — people don’t forget that. You can disagree but if you’re disagreeable, then people don’t forget that."

Sen. John McCain

There you have it. John McCain and his fellow Republican filibustered the first Defense Secretary nomination in history for merely payback. Republicans have gave up pretending they have serious policy differences with the Obama administration.

Quote of the Day

"The irresponsible actions of my party, the Republican Party over this were astounding. I'd never seen anything like this in my lifetime. I was very disappointed, I was very disgusted in how this played out in Washington, this debt ceiling debate. It was an astounding lack of responsible leadership by many in the Republican Party, and I say that as a Republican." Chuck Hagel

The Financial Times has video of Hagel's interview. Hagel supports cuts in the Defense Department and does not feel that Libya is part of America's national security interests. I disagree with Hagel's belief that if President Barack Obama supported the Bowles-Simpson deficit plan that it would have prevent the debt ceiling showdown.

The O-List

The New Republic compiled a list of thirty people that fill most influence Barack Obama's first term.

David Axelrod
Rahm Emanuel
Valerie Jarrett
Tom Daschle
Larry Summers
General David Petraeus
Joe Biden
Robert Gibbs
David Plouffe

Not mention is the next Sec. of Defense. The short list is current Sec. of Defense Robert Gates, Richard Danzig, John Hamre, Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel. Danzig publicly endorsed Gates for the job. Reports are that Obama won't initiate defense budget cuts in the first 18 months.

"Obama has apparently agreed with his defense [advisers] that he will not cut the DoD budget within his first 18 months in office," Morgan Stanley defense analysts wrote in a post-election report.

U.S. forces will not be out of Iraq by 2010. Obama plans on putting more troops into Afghanistan. That leaves little room for budget cuts.

Gates or Hagel would fulfill Obama's promise of appoint Republicans to cabinet positions. Reports are Joe Biden and Sec. of State candidate Bill Richardson are friends of Hagel. Hagel is a foreign policy realist. His bashing of Sarah Palin's (lack of) foreign policy experience endeared him to the campaign. Hagel said he would have considered being Obama's running mate. The question is can Hagel manage the Defense Department beaurocacy?

John Hamre is the the Chairman of Center for Strategic & International Studies. The bipartisan military and foreign policy think tank was created during the cold war. Hamre served as Deputy Secretary of Defense during the Clinton administration. He is currently serving on the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.

Hamre is a Sam Nunn prodigy. He served under Nunn during the Gulf War vote. He is fiscally conservative with defense dollars. Nunn served on the CSIS Board of Trustees.

Hamre is a Clintonite and has foreign policy views that could mesh well with Obama's. Hamre's anti-Vietnam war past could place doubt in his ability to serve as Defense Secretary.

Jack Reed is a former Army Ranger and West Point graduate. Reed is a member of the Committee on Armed Services. Reed is the safest pick on Obama's short list.

I would go with Reed as Sec of State and Richard Danzig as Deputy Secretary of Defense. Don't be surprised if Obama picks Hagel.

Bad Experience

John McCain brags that he know how to lead. His exchange with June 11, 2003 interview with Neil Cavuto questions the Maverick's claims.

NEIL CAVUTO (host): Senator -- after a conflict means after the conflict, and many argue the conflict isn't over.

McCAIN: Well, then why was there a banner that said mission accomplished on the aircraft carrier?

Look, the -- I have said a long time that reconstruction of Iraq would be a long, long, difficult process, but the conflict -- the major conflict is over, the regime change has been accomplished, and it's very appropriate. In two weeks, General Franks is going to come before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and we're going to have his overall assessment of the conflict. I think that's entirely appropriate because we'll be -- we'll be taking up the needs of the Defense Department and the men and women in the military on the Armed Services Committee.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has not endorsed a presidential candidate. That and Hagel's accompanying Obama on an international trip says much about what Hagel thinks about McCain's foreign policy skills. Hagel told CNN that experience is not the deciding factor.

“Each candidate has strengths and weaknesses, and experience does matter,” Hagel said. “But what matters more in my opinion is character and judgment. And judgment meaning who is it that you bring around, who is it that you listen to? Can you make the right decisions for the right reasons on behalf of your country and the world?”

Hagel went on to say, "I think John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic.'"

McCain recently denounced Obama's 16 month timetable and endorsed Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's 16 month timetable. This is the same timetable that Nouri al-Maliki and Obama agreed upon. McCain then denied he endorsed al-Maliki's timetable. In the same interview, McCain told Wolf Blitzer that al-Maliki doesn't want a timetable. I'm not making this up.

BLITZER: Why do you think (al-Makiki) said 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?

MCCAIN: He said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on-the-ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable.

Blitzer asked what if al-Maliki asked President McCain to withdraw troops.

MCCAIN: He won't.

BLITZER: How do you know?

MCCAIN: He won't.

McCain was positive about "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." Now he knows what goes on in the mind of the Iraqi Prime Minister.



Update: Hagel has another comment pointed at McCain.

"Quit talking about, 'Did the surge work or not work,' or, 'Did you vote for this or support this,'" Hagel said Thursday on a conference call with reporters.

"Get out of that. We're done with that. How are we going to project forward?" the Nebraska senator said. "What are we going to do for the next four years to protect the interest of America and our allies and restructure a new order in the world. ... That's what America needs to hear from these two candidates. And that's where I am."

Chuck Hagel on Impeachment

The rhetoric sounds good. I just wonder if Chuck Hagel is serious.

"The president says, 'I don't care.' He's not accountable anymore," Hagel says, measuring his words by the syllable and his syllables almost by the letter. "He's not accountable anymore, which isn't totally true. You can impeach him, and before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment. I don't know. It depends how this goes."

This part I agree with 100 percent.

"Congress abdicated its oversight responsibility," he says. "The press abdicated its responsibility, and the American people abdicated their responsibilities. Terror was on the minds of everyone, and nobody questioned anything, quite frankly."

Right now Hagel's interview sounds like bluster. It is still nice to hear that bluster come from Bush's party.

Hat tip to Brad Friedman.

No Phase 4, No Surprise

Military experts have wondered why there was no phase 4 plan for rebuilding and getting out of Iraq. General George Casey endlessly badgered Tommy Franks about phase 4. We now know that Donald Rumsfeld refused to allow military strategists to do so. This is insane beyond comprehension.

Even if the troops didn't stay, "at least we have to plan for it," Scheid said.

"I remember the secretary of defense saying that he would fire the next person that said that," Scheid said. "We would not do planning for Phase 4 operations, which would require all those additional troops that people talk about today.

Brig. Gen. Mark Scheid worked in Central Command and was part of the planning of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Kevin Drum writes, "The bulk of the evidence continues to suggest that democracy and rebuilding were simply not on Bush's radar."

Andrew Sullivan: "It's becoming clearer and clearer that Donald Rumsfeld is a worse defense secretary than Robert McNamara."

I wholeheartedly agree with both those comments. If Sullivan is hoping for sane Republicans to force Bush to fire Rumsfeld then that's wishful thinking. Chuck Hagel and John McCain said they have no confidence in Rumsfeld and they won't ask Bush to make him resign. Short answer: Bitch about the state of Iraq, but do nothing to solve the problem.