President Obama's nomination of former Republican US Senator Chuck Hagel was not wise.
Even though Obama won reelection, his margin of victory was smaller than in 2008, and his reelection was lesser of a mandate compared to George W. Bush after 2004. The President has already spent much of his political capital on the brokered (and broken) fiscal cliff deal.
His recent spate of Cabinet nominees have hurt his cause, as well. UN Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew as nominee of Secretary of State following the firestorm of allegations about Benghazi. And now the Hagel nomination, with Republicans and Democrats signaling their concern and opposition.
Our country's friendship with the Jewish State should not depend on the added marker "true", in the first Then again, following the frequent missteps between the White House and Jerusalem, one has to suspect President Obama's "friendship" with Israel. From Obama's arrogant plea for "land swaps" to the President's party leaders' blatant disapproval of Netanyahu's "red line", the distance and disdain between the two leaders seems to have increased.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has condescended to endorse Hagel because he will stop the Jewish state's "self-destructive drift". The nomination of the former Nebraska senator should alarm Zionists as well as peace activists who want a two-state solution in Israel. His insouciance about Iran and previous disdain for the "Jewish Lobby" only calcifies concerns about President Obama's "true" attitude about the US-Israel "friendship".
