Hagel: Don't Sweat It, I Won't Actually Make Any Policy Decisions as Secretary of Defense; Also, If Confirmed, I Plan to Learn Some Things About the Defense Department

It's not the crime, it's the cover up.

It may well be that what makes Chuck Hagel famous -- in the wrong way -- is not his unsteady bumbling on questions of substance, which, frankly, most people don't know about.

It might be that it's his attempts to explain away his gaps in knowledge that doom him.

First quote, Hagel attempting to reassure people that he won't be trusted to make policy decisions anyway, so it's safe to install him in the job:

"I won't be in a policymaking position."

Next, Chuck Hagel explaining away his morning errors and ignorances:

"If confirmed I intend to know a lot more than I do."

Great. So if we give him a job he's unqualified for, he promises he'll study up and learn a few things about the job. At some point.

Or, at least he'll be poised to do so.

posted by Ace at 05:05 PM

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