Closing the tabs -- and the curtains on Senate Democrat credibility ...
Sen. Tammy Duckworth wasn't interested in hearing an answer from Pete Hegseth during her unhinged questioning. She just wanted an opportunity to yell at him.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
Typical. pic.twitter.com/qD4H6o6lGw
Ed: As I wrote earlier, it's surprising that Democrats think this is what voters will reward, especially after this election cycle. These are the same strident and radical attacks that ended up making Donald Trump more personally popular than he's ever been before. Democrats insisted on doubling down today on that strategy, in defense of woke priorities that voters are clearly rejecting.
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WARREN: You're quite sure that every general who serves should not go directly into the defense industry for 10 years, but you're not willing to make that same pledge?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
HEGSETH: I'm not a general, Senator. pic.twitter.com/GwjJ8703wW
Ed: Take me down to Faceplant City, where the Dems are angry and totes nitwitty ...
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Tuberville also said he met with Navy SEALs who “just got back from crawling around in the mud and the muck overseas, unknown places.... First week they’re back, what do they do, they had go through a week of DEI training. Both are now out. They give it up.”
He questioned Hegseth on how he planned to raise enlistment numbers, which have been falling over the last 20 years, according to the Department of Defense.
“I think it comes down to leadership,” Hegseth said.
“Clear leadership from President Trump. Through me,” Hegseth added. “So, you have to rip, root and branch, the politics and divisive policies out of these institutions and focus them on creating and preparing actual future military leadership.”
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🚨 JUST IN: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) tries a "gotcha" question on Pete Hegseth and it immediately backfires.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 14, 2025
The Democrat rushes to cut off Hegseth's response as soon as he starts giving substance.
"Can you give me ANY example of where you've driven innovation at ANY… pic.twitter.com/46FohITYgV
Ed: Take me down to Faceplant City, where the Dems are angry and totes nitwitty ... still.
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COTTON: "Do you consider yourself a Christian Zionist?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
HEGSETH: "I am a Christian, and I robustly support the state of Israel." pic.twitter.com/bg08sACuVp
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Senator Gillibrand is having a complete MELTDOWN over Pete Hegseth right now. pic.twitter.com/bEKSzWMBQB
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
Ed: Don't Ask Don't Tell was a policy put in place to ALLOW more people to stay in the service, not to exclude more. It replaced the previous policy of expelling homosexuals whether they came out or not. And that was Bill Clinton's policy to boot, supported by Democrats at the time. Did Gillibrand seriously not know this?
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BREAKING: Senator Tom Cotton asks Pete Hegseth "Do you support Israel's war in Gaza?"
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) January 14, 2025
Pete Hegseth: "I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas." pic.twitter.com/RKSrxVtU5z
Ed: This shouldn't even be controversial. The US lists Hamas as a terrorist network and a proxy of Iran. Why would we want to allow them off the hook?
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Mazie Hirono might be the least intelligent Member of Congress, and that's saying something.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) January 14, 2025
This line of questioning is unbecoming of her position as a United States Senator.
I stand with Pete Hegseth. pic.twitter.com/vqp0G0w5kj
Ed: I fully endorse Brigitte's observation, but it's clear that she has competition for that spot. My thoughts on Hirono can be found here, but I can't leave her out of this collection either.
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Hegseth is questioned on his support for women in combat roles.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
"Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles given the STANDARDS REMAIN HIGH." pic.twitter.com/B5bBMtYoSQ
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Pete Hegseth responds to Senator Shaheen's pointed line of questioning of Hegseth's comments on women in combat:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
"It's not about the capabilities of men and women. It's about standards...that we have seen eroded over time." pic.twitter.com/CIKg8c7cKL
Ed: I am including this to contrast Shaheen's questioning with the strident and incompetent fury of her colleagues. I don't agree with Shaheen's stance, but she remained professional and predicated her questions on statements that Hegseth actually made. Hegseth did a good job of answering these questions, so I would say that both Hegseth and Shaheen did well in this exchange.
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Pete Hegseth: “We won World War II with seven 4-star generals. Today, we have forty-four 4-star generals. There’s an inverse relationship between the size of staffs and victory on the battlefield. We don’t need more bureaucracy at the top. We need more warfighters empowered at… pic.twitter.com/RapYoPtwCn
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 14, 2025
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Wicker on Hegseth: This was a tour de force. A takedown a triumph. I think Mr. Hegseth had three audiences: the committee, the United States Senate and the American general public. I think it was a magnificent display of his knowledge and his ability to communicate his leadership. And I feel very good about this hearing today. I don't think he could have done any better.
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Republican senators said they believed Hegseth performed well, and Democrats weren’t able to score additional blows—beyond reminding the public of the allegations against him. Headed into the hearing, Hegseth was seen as likely to win confirmation, given how eager Republicans are to give Trump the team he wants—barring any late disclosures or blunders.
Ed: That was my takeaway from the hearing today, too. Hegseth performed well and made no mistakes, while Senate Democrats attempted to conduct another Kavanaugh/Thomas character assassination and failed. This should warn Senate Republicans about the nature of their opposition and the need to close ranks right now against it.
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