On Sunday’s broadcast of ABC’s “This Week,” Washington Post columnist George Will said Republicans should stop stalling the nominations of Chuck Hagel and John Brennan, who are respectively President Barack Obama’s selections to be secretary of state and CIA director.
“Most sensible Republicans believe that a president is owed vast deference in picking his Cabinet, because the Cabinet leaves when he leaves and the Cabinet exists to implement his policies,” Will said, drawing a distinction between lifetime judicial appointments and Cabinet posts.
“If the president wants a terrible secretary of defense, he’s got a right to him, and I think he’ll get him,” Will added, prompting co-panelist Newt Gingrich to argue that the Constitution affords Congress an important oversight role.
“I don’t find it unseemly to say to a potential secretary of defense or secretary of treasury, ‘Tell me where your money has come from while you’ve been out of public office,'” Gingrich said.