disagree. I don’t think nominating an old white guy retread from the Senate who voted for the Iraq War gets him any bipartsian cred. republicans won’t be happy, and dems won’t, either. Hagel’s record on Israel doesn’t help him. Hagel is pretty much a dem now anyways, as he endorsed Obama and also even endorsed the dem Bob Kerrey for Senate in NE.
In the end I don’t think tehse appointments will really make that much of a difference. Obama already won re-election and doesn’t really care. But foe the small amount it may matter, I don’t think naming two old white guys whove been in DC forever like Kerry and Hagel really helps him in any meaningful way.
Change indeed.
You may be right. The thing is most of the country still see Hagel as an R. Polls show republicans getting blamed for not compromising on anything. I think Obama looks magnanimous and republicans look like they went after another minority, yet he gets everything he wanted and republicans look bad. It makes it harder in the fiscal deal the more the country is behind Obama. Not about election it is about legislating and negotiating from strength. Of course I could be wrong :).
Remember it is all how it will be perceived. Isn’t that how he won....again?