Republicans Block Vote On Obama's Defense Nominee, Hagel -- Reuters
(Reuters) - Republican lawmakers succeeded on Thursday in delaying a Senate vote on confirming President Barack Obama's choice of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, but another vote was planned for later in the month and Obama said he expected his nominee to be approved.
The tally was 58-40, with almost every Republican voting no, falling short of the 60 needed to pass a motion to stop debate and allow a vote by the full Senate on confirming the former Republican senator.
The result delayed, but did not end, Hagel's hopes of becoming the civilian chief at the Pentagon.
Democrats were furious at the delay, which they characterized as the first time in history that the procedural tactic known as a filibuster had been used to block a defense nominee, something disputed by Republicans.
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More News On US Senate Republicans Blocking Chuck Hagel's Nomination As US Defense Secretary
Senate Republicans block vote on Hagel nomination -- Washington Post
Senate Republicans block vote on confirming Hagel as defense chief -- Reuters
Senate GOP stalls Hagel nomination by waging filibuster -- NBC
Senate GOP delays vote on Defense nominee Chuck Hagel -- L.A. Times
GOP Stalls Vote on Pick for Pentagon -- Wall Street Journal
Hagel nomination blocked, Senate Republicans threaten to filibuster -- Stars and Stripes
GOP moves to block Chuck Hagel from defense post -- Washington Examiner
Filibuster or not? GOP slow-walks Hagel nomination -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
GOP says it needs more time on Hagel for Pentagon -- Kansas City/McClatchy News
Why Republican delay isn't likely to stop Chuck Hagel confirmation -- David Grant, Christian Science Monitor
Why Republicans are filibustering Chuck Hagel -- Chris Cillizza, Washington Post
My Comment: The main stream media's coverage on this story was so bias in favor of the nomination that they never paid any attention to the growing opposition to the nomination .... and the reasons why. Even tonight .... with the nomination as good as blocked .... many are still voicing the opinion that he will be confirmed but without explaining why. Bottom line .... politics aside .... Chuck Hagel is a lousy nominee for this job (Galrhan's reasons are on the money) and there are better choices out there (my favorite is Michèle Flournoy) .... but this is who President Obama wants hence this is where we are today.
What's my prediction .... the White House is going to release the information that the Republican U.S. senators want (which they should have done in the beginning thereby avoiding this mess) .... and he will be nominated. But if for some reason the White House goes into lock-downed mode and decide not to release what is essentially basic information ....this will then tell me that they are hiding something .... and they do not want little people like me (and you) to know about it.