Sen. Alexander votes against Hagel confirmation for defense secretary

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander voted against the confirmation of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary on Tuesday.

Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska, was confirmed in a 58-41 vote, ending a nearly two-month battle that included an unprecedented filibuster against the nominee.

“I consider Chuck Hagel a patriot,” said Alexander, a Tennessee Republican. “But he is not the right person to lead the world’s largest military organization in these dangerous times.”

Earlier Tuesday, Alexander voted to end debate on the Hagel nomination. On Feb. 14, he had voted against ending debate “so Senate Republicans could pursue answers to questions and further examine Hagel’s record.”

But he said at the time that when the Senate returned on Feb. 26, “there should have been sufficient time to consider Sen. Hagel’s record.”

On Tuesday, Alexander said there had been sufficient time, and he believes a president’s cabinet members deserve an up-or-down vote.

Hagel is a Vietnam War veteran who has been awarded two Purple Hearts, but former Senate friends, including Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, had turned on him, deeming him “insufficiently strong in defending Israel, particularly from the potential nuclear threat of Iran,” the Washington Post reported.

Four Republicans joined 54 Democrats in approving Hagel, and all 41 “no” votes came from Republicans.