You Said "Spite." Too Late

So the very best thing that can be said for President Obama nominating Chuck Hagel is that it shows the president won't back down over over certain Neoconish opposition to his choice?

The very best thing about Obama’s choice of Hagel for the Pentagon is that the president did not back down, as he did with Susan Rice.

So was Susan Rice a good choice? Is Hagel? I think he isn't a good choice--or even a mediocre choice--and it has nothing to do with his statements on Israel or gays. I think he lacks the expertise or judgment to run the Department of Defense.

And what's the problem with rejecting Hagel?

In fact, he could be the necessary corrective to the Netanyahu government’s expectation that anything Israel wants from Washington it’s entitled to get.

Riiight. Israel today thinks that it gets whatever it wants from President Obama. Because President Obama has been such a go-to guy for Netanyahu--our "first Jewish president"--according to Israel's friends. Is that really the argument in favor of Hagel?

I swear, the bulk of Hagel's defenders really do think that choosing him is good just to stick it to the Jews.

Spite is no reason to put Hagel in charge of our Department of Defense. Even if you come up with a better reason to support him, you already said "spite."

UPDATE: You think I'm kidding? Spite really does seem to be the reason to nominate Hagel.