Chuck Hagel to Co-Chair Obama's Intel Advisory Board

Mark Crispin Miller comments on the following news:

So Chuck Hagel "represents the brand of pragmatic Republican national security decisionmaking that President Obama needs to hear much more from"--a statement that's as comforting as it is eloquent.

"Pragmatic Republican national security decisionmaking" would be like, what? Nixon and Kissinger? Bush the Elder? So Hagel's like those "good" Republicans Who Aren't Bush II (even though he's long earned sky-high ratings from the Christianist far right).

And there's also that wee matter--which the press, both centrist and left/liberal, has stalwartly ignored for years--of Hagel's service as the CEO of ES&S, whose e-voting systems were fortuitously used in his two Senate races in Nebraska, both of which (surprise!) he won by startlingly high margins.

So now he's going to co-chair the president's intel advisory board; and HuffPost is applauding.

What am I not getting?

MCM

Chuck Hagel to Co-Chair Obama's Intel Advisory Board
Steve Clemons, Huffington Post

Former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel gave an outstanding speech outlining the imperative of American leadership in the Israel-Palestine dispute at the J Street Annual Conference Gala Dinner last night.

I had the privilege of moderating the discussion and having an exchange about US foreign policy with the Senator who teaches at Georgetown University and now chairs the Atlantic Council of the United States.

During my own remarks, which I offered humorously wearing a "Joe Biden mask" (long story ... for later), I announced that Chuck Hagel would soon be officially announced as the new chair of the President's Federal Intelligence Advisory Board, a post that has recently been held by Stephen Friedman, former NY Federal Reserve Board Governor and national economic adviser to President George W. Bush.

Former US Senator and Oklahoma University President David Boren will serve as co-chair with Hagel of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

Previously, Brent Scowcroft, Les Aspin and former House Speaker and US Ambassador to Japan Thomas Foley chaired this intelligence advisory body.

Hagel is also scheduled to meet President Obama today in the White House.

This is a great move. Hagel represents the brand of pragmatic Republican national security decisionmaking that President Obama needs to hear much more from.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note