ryan s a smart enough politician to know that he made a big mistake talking about takers and makers in 2012. no question about it. and he s not going to repeat it. cuccinnelli can repeat it. paul ryan s not going to. gentlemen, let s talk about chuck hagel. i was surprised at how republicans threw another republican under the bus today, especially the exchange between mccain and chuck hagel. howard, what did you think of that? well, i think there s a lot of republican resentment about hagel. and i will say this. i think the administration, if they want to protect chuck hagel, they d better come out and do it right away. i think he had a pretty rough time. unfairly so in many respects. he s talking about a new world that we know exists. you can beat up on chuck hagel all you want. i think the basic propositions that hagel is putting forth are probably pretty unassailable. but hagel himself was on the defensive a lot today. and if the administration really wants him, they d bette
paul ryan s not going to. gentlemen, let s talk about chuck hagel. i was surprised at how republicans threw another republican under the bus today, especially the exchange between mccain and chuck hagel. howard, what did you think of that? well, i think there s a lot of republican resentment about hagel. and i will say this. i think the administration, if they want to protect chuck hagel, they d better come out and do it right away. i think he had a pretty rough time. unfairly so in many respects. he s talking about a new world that we know exists. you can beat up on chuck hagel all you want. i think the basic propositions that hagel is putting forth are probably pretty unassailable. but hagel himself was on the defensive a lot today. and if the administration really wants him, they d better back him and they d better back him really fast and furious. richard, i thought he showed a great deal of composure. really took the high road when he was being attacked. look, there s a lo
during his confirmation hearings. at today s white house briefing press secretary jay carney took exception to the idea hagel had shifted his views in order to lock up his confirmation. senator hagel s views are in the mainstream of the republican party and the democratic party and broader public opinion. who are hout of the mainstream are those who are suggesting otherwise. we re youned by nbc news white house correspondent kristin welker live at the white house. thanks for joining me. reporter: thanks for having me. the so the hearing is going on, mixed reviews. how concerned or is the white house concerned about hagel s performance today? reporter: i think the white house was prepared for this to be a tough confirmation hearing. i have been speaking to my sources here who say that there have been tough confirmation hearings in the past. they cite the confirmation hearing of treasury secretary timothy geithner. but they still feel confident that he has a very good chance of
meet the press about hagel, and i think we all expected that the number three democrat in the senate would say, okay, great choice. he said, well, not so much. we ll have to wait to see what happens at the hearing, or something like that. chuck todd and i were sitting at the table on meet the press and said whoa. we got a 33 second answer, which is never good because you want it to be yes if are you president obama. i m with steve on this for this reason. i don t think if chuck schumer had no other political consideration to make, i don t think he would vote for chuck hagel. honestly. i think hagel s statements on israel and the jewish lobby don t do not sit well with chuck schumer. he is not the only one, but they don t sit well with chuck schumer. he understands the role and influence he has within the senate democratic caucus, and sort of what him saying no would mean. of course, politics doesn t exist in a vacuum. we all know that. i think chuck schumer s desire to not blemis
nomination. i was just concerned this kept going without a nominee, now there is a nominee for both positions and all of these concerns, as they should be, should be considered in the process. based on what you now know, do you think hagel will be confirmed? i have no chrrystal ball, i wouldn t have thought we d be in the senate at 2:00 in the morning on new year s eve. i don t think anyone can really say, but i think there are a number of people who have been very open minded here and getting to the bottom of these concerns that have been raised and making sure that we have a good and thorough process. i think that s a positive thing and i m glad the president s moved forward with the nomination. we showed earlier the picture pete souza took of the president and his advisers. we re now seeing a predominantly