nomination should be decided by the totality of his record. it is the votes that he has cast and the statements that he's made over the many years of his career that will inform us as to his judgment, his view of america's role in the world, and his view of the military required to support that role. as i've told senator hagel, in my office, some time ago, to tweaks ago, over two weeks ago, i guess it was, that after a long and careful review of his record and the things that he has said and the things that i have personally experienced with him, that we're too philosophically opposed on the issues facing our country for me to support his nomination, therefore, i told him i would not be supporting his nomination. his record demonstrates what i view as a lack of steadfast opposition to policies that diminish u.s. power and influence throughout the world, as well as a recent trend of policy reversals that seem based