The right isn't having a meltdown. The democrats SAY the right is having a meltdown, but again just like everything else, there's no meltdown. Hagel doesn't have the support of democrats. He's not likely to have the support of republicans either.
obama is going to have to pull out the "so let it be written, so let it be done" card.
Are you kidding??
GOP critics line up against Chuck Hagel
His onetime fellow Republican senators are quick to point out his role as a chief Bush antagonist over Iraq, his opposition to sanctions in places like Iran and comments heÂ’s made about Hamas, Hezbollah and North Korea.
Some privately note he rubbed them the wrong way; one GOP senator called him “prickly.” Another was irked by the moderate Republican’s penchant for taking on his party, including this past election cycle, when he backed Democrat Bob Kerrey’s Senate candidacy in Nebraska over Deb Fischer, the Republican who later went on to win the race. Off of Capitol Hill on Tuesday, critics — including the Anti-Defamation League — slammed his record on Israel, including comments he made years back when he called pro-Israel forces in Washington the “Jewish lobby.”
McCain scoffed at claims that Hagel would be a Republican voice in a mostly Democratic Cabinet, saying to “allege that Hagel is somehow a Republican — that is a hard one to swallow.”
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a conservative who is expected to become the ranking member on the Armed Services Committee next Congress, said he is “not real happy” with some of Hagel’s past statements on Israel. He recalled that Hagel had often been “curt” in their interactions.
“A lot of times, these hearings are sort of for show, but I think this one will really matter,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the committee. “I think he’s just going to have to explain some of these comments that disturb people.”
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GOP critics line up against Chuck Hagel - Manu Raju - POLITICO.com