President Obama's nomination of outspoken Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel to run the Pentagon has drawn flak from many quarters, making certain that his confirmation in the Senate will be a dog fight. So far, Minnesota's two U.S. Senators, both Democrats, don't seem to be choosing sides. Both issued utterly non-committal statements in the early going of the drama, which will focus on Hagel's views on gays and Israel. Here's Klobuchar: "Chuck Hagel has a long record of service to this country, from his time as a soldier in Vietnam to a Senator from Nebraska. I look forward to considering his confirmation following a full and thorough nomination hearing." And here's Franken: "Both Chuck Hagel and John Brennan [nominated for CIA director] have served our country, and the men and women of our military and intelligence community, with distinction for a long time. I will be examining their records closely as I consider their nominations in the coming days and weeks."
