Inside Lt Col. Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation fight

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-09 18:07:46 | Updated at 2024-12-25 02:35:17 2 weeks ago

Inside Lt Col. Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation fight
My Inbox ^ | Dec 9 | Politico

Posted on 12/09/2024 9:02:57 AM PST by RandFan

Former national security adviser JOHN BOLTON is already swinging hard [against Gabbard].

In a Sunday phone call, the renowned hawk told us Gabbard has shown “an inclination to believe the most outrageous propaganda against the United States by some of its strongest enemies” — citing, as an example, her parroting the unfounded, Russia-backed “biolabs” conspiracy theory holding that the U.S. was conducting biological warfare research in Ukraine.

It “raises serious questions about her judgment,” Bolton said, reflecting a “funhouse of mirrors” view of American foreign policy that “goes beyond normal political discourse in this country — and really is evidence of some kind of flaw, maybe even a character flaw, that she doesn't realize what she's saying.”

But Gabbard’s allies say she’s ready to go toe-to-toe with Bolton and likeminded critics, Republican and Democrat alike.

When it comes to Bolton & Co., they argue, they are simply out of touch with today’s GOP — it’s Gabbard who is in lockstep with DONALD TRUMP, who controversially met with authoritarian figures like Russia’s VLADIMIR PUTIN and North Korea’s KIM JONG UN in his first term.

“John Bolton is irrelevant and him saying he would write in DICK CHENEY for president this year should tell you everything you need to know about his disastrous and failed foreign policy instincts of never-ending wars and more American deaths,” said transition spokesperson ALEXA HENNING.

Senate Republicans, however, are a different breed on foreign policy matters. Most are traditionally hawkish and aligned ideologically with Bolton. They will want to know if she will respect the assessments of intelligence community professionals — or substitute her own judgment in advising the president.

But Gabbard’s team says she is well positioned to address any doubts.

— She already holds a Top Secret security clearance, one Senate Republican recently told us (and the Trump transition confirmed). The senator also noted that Gabbard was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve in 2021 — years after her Syria trip. “If this were a problem, then they would have had an investigation a long time ago and she wouldn’t have the high-level clearance she has,” one ally said.

— She’s prepared to add context to some of her more controversial moments. Expect Gabbard to argue that meeting with Assad isn’t the same as sympathizing with him, and she can point to instances where she called him a “brutal dictator” and made other frank assessments of his atrocities.

— She’s ready to make a broader case for her noninterventionist views and argue to senators that meetings like the one she had with Assad are critical to stopping “endless wars.” She’ll argue that it’s her military service — not Russian propaganda — that shaped her worldview. Gabbard “is in lockstep with President Trump and his statements on the events in Syria over the weekend,” Henning said. “This is why President Trump was re-elected to prevent endless wars and put America First.”

— She has the backing of one prominent hawk in Graham, who called her “extremely bright and capable” last month. On the other side of the ideological spectrum, she has Sen. RAND PAUL (R-Ky.) in her corner. And her team says she’s close with a cadre of former House members now in the Senate, including Lankford, MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-Tenn.), DAN SULLIVAN (R-Alaska) and MARKWAYNE MULLIN (R-Okla.).

— She’s looking to cross the aisle, or at least try: The former BERNIE SANDERS backer has tried to schedule meetings with at least some Intel Committee Democrats, so far to no avail. Still, her team has taken note that House Minority Leader HAKEEM JEFFRIES was recently asked if she was a Russian agent, and he wouldn’t go there. One nod she could conceivably get is from Sanders (I-Vt.) — who has expressed a willingness to support ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR’s HHS nomination but has kept mum on Gabbard’s.

TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Conspiracy
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They've got nothing on her! Chickenhawks beware...

1 posted on 12/09/2024 9:02:57 AM PST by RandFan

To: RandFan

Biolabs in Ukraine came from the Twitter account War Clandestine.

2 posted on 12/09/2024 9:06:07 AM PST by packagingguy

To: RandFan

John Bolton is irrelevant ...

YES.

3 posted on 12/09/2024 9:09:28 AM PST by Rummyfan ( In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.)

To: RandFan

Former national security adviser JOHN BOLTON is already swinging hard

Famous draft dodger Bolton hates Tulsi. I don’t hold it against someone who found a way to avoid going to Vietnam....UNTIL they start pushing for everyone ELSE to go to war, except them.

Bolton is a POS like Cheney who had “better things to do”.

4 posted on 12/09/2024 9:13:39 AM PST by DesertRhino (2016 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2024... RETURN OF THE JEDI..)

To: RandFan

Oh, the roosky double agent. THAT Tulsi.

5 posted on 12/09/2024 9:17:06 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within ? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)

To: DesertRhino

The renowned (chicken)hawk Bolton who somehow missed serving in the VN War.

6 posted on 12/09/2024 9:17:48 AM PST by laconic ( )

To: RandFan

Let’s see...

The president-elect (a landslide by We the People), who already has four years as Commander in Chief, chooses Tulsi to head up Intel.

Shouldn’t they just trust his own judgement? The law-abiding taxpayers do.

What am I missing?

7 posted on 12/09/2024 9:18:14 AM PST by Thorium90

To: RandFan

Bolton needs to be slammed. He has Always been Deep State War Hawk.

8 posted on 12/09/2024 9:23:42 AM PST by Eli Kopter

To: All

1) Historically, 99% of cabinet nominees who do not withdraw are confirmed.

2) There are 15 Democrat women Senators, some of whom might find voting to confirm a woman to be an easy vote to explain back home.

3) Tulsi is not about tainting intel with her preferences. She is about eliminating other preferences from that intel before it reaches her desk.

9 posted on 12/09/2024 9:23:42 AM PST by Owen

To: RandFan

Bolton is a nobody. Outside the dinosaur clown media, no one care what he thinks about anything

10 posted on 12/09/2024 9:32:34 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Don't blame me, my congressman is MTG!)

To: RandFan

Why do we still have to suffer Bolton?

11 posted on 12/09/2024 9:34:16 AM PST by dljordan (What would Michael Collins do?)

To: RandFan

Dems check the list: Let’s see, we can’t use the rape allegation from 35 years ago, maybe we can still use the old “Russian plant” one?

To: RandFan

I’m just curious as to why we have Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard appointed to this position ( I’m not complaining mind you ), but the other real conservative and patriot, Lt. Col. Allen West ( a former Congressman ) is not being considered for anything...

13 posted on 12/09/2024 9:47:18 AM PST by SeekAndFind

To: RandFan

“Gabbard was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve in 2021”

Which means she’s in the zone for O6 this year or next. Hopefully she’ll earn it, not just receive it. Too many political types get their rank because of notoriety rather than merit.

14 posted on 12/09/2024 9:49:11 AM PST by jagusafr ( )

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