Chuck Hagel once again does the right thing

Above we have a 1968 photo of Chuck Hagel while he's in Vietnam. Note the blue infantry cords! This infantry squad leader earned two Purple Hearts. I've long been a fan of Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. His actions often confirm my affinity yet he and Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine surely did the right thing today by joining with their Democratic colleagues on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Jonathan S. Landay of McClatchy Newspapers reports Senate committee: Bush knew Iraq claims weren't true with news that Republicans Orrin Hatch of Utah, Christopher Bond of Missouri, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia (who got out of Vietnam by claiming he had a bad knee yet was healthy enough to try out for UGA's baseball team when he was playing fratboy in Athens) carried the Bu$hCo water. The only charge Saxby ever led was at every fraternity party! Orrin Hatch even defended Abu Gonzales so obviously he'll cover for Bu$hCo whenever he's needed. Kit Bond compared waterboarding to swimming! Richard Burr's name is even being floated in the GOP Veepstakes yet I admit to knowing little of his record.

Let us also not forget how Kansas Senator Pat Roberts delayed this portion of the investigation for YEARS! Other reliable Bu$hCo defenders like Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III immediately turned to defending John "Huggy Bear" McSame. Jeffy B. said, “If John McCain were president and the nation was considering a military operation, we couldn’t have a better person in the country cross-examining the intelligence officers". Cross-examining? Could there be a more bizarre way to try to throw the blame onto the help?

CNN also covers the report with news that although she's not read the report Press Secretary Dana Perino didn't "know of anything that's particularly new in it". Considering Dana's struggles with basic American history I'm hardly surprised. Then again for her to try to get Dubyah off the hook via a "he was kept in the dark" defense shows how low this administration has fallen.

The Weekly Standard's Stephen F. Hayes is reduced to cobbling together some of Senator Rockerfeller's past statements in an effort to try to limit the damage to the neo-cons and Bu$hCo. Indeed as the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee his past statements might be relevant yet Senator Rockerfeller is hardly with true Progressives on many issues. Then again, Mr. Hayes admitted he'd "leave it to someone more industrious to correct the numerous errors in the report." What errors? Give me details please. Human Events' Peter Huessy at least tries yet I've not the time this evening to dig about and see how their case stands up. Given that Jed Babbin is the online editor I'll not expect much.

And given Mr. Hayes many, many, many ... failures to deliver accurate reporting and his standing as "Conservatives' favorite authority on 'The Connection'" one might ask if in fact Senator Rockerfeller was relying on Mr. Hayes and his ilk? Mr. Hayes not only got to shill the neo-conservatives foolishness back in the day but now he also gets to go back and use quotes from those that might have relied on his work that have now had the scales lifted from their eyes. Once again I can't help but be somewhat impressed by wingnut welfare and the right's message machine.

I'd like just one right winger to explain away Chuck Hagel's vote. I bet they can't. John Gunn