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Comparing Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz is Not Fair
The Left wants to investigate the Cabinet candidates with a fine-tooth comb, and lumping together these two candidates, Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz, is totally inappropriate. I may be biased in my view, since I’ve followed Hegseth for years on Fox News, but that has allowed me to see aspects of him that those who are not Fox fans may miss.
But let’s look at both candidates—
Matt Gaetz has offended many people in Congress. In other words, he doesn’t play well with others. Now that may be considered an attribute by some, since he will probably be expected to wreak havoc as the Attorney General, and I’m all for his upsetting the apple cart. And I’m also willing to acknowledge Mollie Hemingway’s defense of him—that the witnesses who have launched accusations against him were already shown earlier to be very questionable. But one of my biggest concerns is his lack of knowledge about the role of the Attorney General. How much will he be able to rely on those in the DOJ to support him and help him find his way through the morass of Justice? His arrogance and stubbornness will not serve him well when he needs at least a few supporters. And his experience as a lawyer is extremely limited.
Pete Hegseth, on the other hand, has some of the same liabilities as Gaetz, but not as substantial, in my belief. He had a questionable sexual liaison, which may or may not have been rape. But his qualifications for the Department of Defense are far superior to Gaetz’s ability to navigate Justice. Hegseth will likely have plenty of supporters in the DOD, out of respect for his military service and recognition. One other factor that I think should count is that Hegseth is a Christian. He has led a few programs on Fox News where he has professed his faith, and I believe that he’s sincere. Although he can be brash, he also is known to be collegial and passionate about the military. And I believe he will find plenty of people in the DOD to help him navigate the politics and the operations.
Finally, when I look at both men, I personally want Trump to select people who are men or women of character.
I think that Pete Hegseth passes that test; I don’t think that Matt Gaetz does.
Published in Politics
There two kinds of CEOs (1) build and grow (2) restructure. Our institutions do not need friendly “build and grow” heads. They need the restructure kind of CEO that comes in for a short period of time, fires anyone that only cares about protecting their turf, and gets rid of anyone not capable of dramatic change. We need Gaetz to restructure for 18 months to put the DOJ into a position where it can build and grow in the right direction.
It’s going to be tough for him to get stuff done, since he’s going to meet a lot of subtle opposition. It could be a real slog.
I like this take:
Anyone with that accurate assessment of Garland probably also assessed Gaetz correctly.
Sessions and Barr meet your moral criteria. How much did they clean up?
I think Trump has the challenging task of finding a rabblerouser with principles. I think Pete Hegseth is one of those. I can’t believe there isn’t another one out there to take over the DOJ.
I’m not a big fan of Gaetz, but I have to acknowledge that he and Hegseth have at least one significant thing in common. They are both the President-Elect’s choices.
And then they run into Advise and Consent.
I’m having a very hard time believing that there is no one who is a great lawyer and understands something about the workings of the DOJ, who could also shake things up. Maybe even someone else who likes Trump but Trump hasn’t thought of him or her. How about Pam Bondi? Then again, she might not want the job.
Gaetz’s right-hand man will be his Deputy (which, after all, is the level where the day to day managing work of the department takes place), a gentleman with more than enough of the knowledge and skills required. This guy:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Blanche
Now this guy sounds like a mensch! If Gaetz has the good sense to rely on Blanche’s knowledge and expertise, I will breathe easier…
The trouble with political sex scandals (I’m a Brit, so I have extensive “form” in this regard as my native country might have written the book on them) is that they’re portrayed as showing the players as susceptible to blackmail. I have heard there is video of an apparently visibly drunken Hegseth escorting an apparently sober woman back to his hotel room. That, in and of itself, is a very bad look for a prospective SecDef, no matter what happened after, or even before. (Reminiscent, although they were different circumstances, of Swallwell and Fang.)
Similarly, a series of questionable decisions and judgments by someone who might become the nation’s top law enforcement officer. (Heard a fascinating theory this morning that–although Gaetz resigned from this session of Congress, he won election on November 5 to the next session of Congress, so if his nomination falls through, he could, theoretically, still show up for work as a Florida representative in January.
Hegseth’s other personal failings (including impregnating and having a daughter with future wife #3 while he was still married to wife #2) aren’t great either. While I still hope he makes it through, I also hope he’s had a good look in the mirror over the past seven or eight years, has learned a few things about himself, and that he’s sorted himself out and is married to a woman for whom he’ll walk the line and keep his fly zipped.
All extremely well said, as usual, She. I, too, hope both men have learned important lessons.
I appreciate getting your opinion, Susan. I’m not totally sure about either of the two candidates, which is one reason I’d be very uneasy about the possibility of getting them through without Senate approval. Not that the Senate approval process is so wonderful and not in need of reform, but it’s something.
I don’t think Gaetz is a good choice, but I quit worrying so much about it when somebody on Twitter pointed out that Republican Senators who voted to approve Garland have a lot of explaining to do if they won’t approve Gaetz. That’s a good point. It’s hard to imagine that anybody could be more dangerous to the republic than Garland, so if Gaetz is indeed worse than that, it needs to be explained. I don’t have enough information to make such a case myself, but I’d give people a chance to do so.
All the people who are against him totally loved the guy who was proudly getting bjs from the help under the desk in the Oval Office. So I take their complaints about propriety with a giant laugh. Sorry.
Yep, Garland has been a disaster, and on the surface he had the credentials. Boo!
Law school etc might beat it out of them.
I believe it’s been noted previous/elsewhere that Both of his deputy appointments are lawyers who were directly “abused” by one of the judges hearing cases against Trump. Sounds like good motivation to me!
And very likely violently raped Juanita Broderick, for one.
Sessions was the worst AG in the history of the nation … until Garland.
What credentials? Anti-American partisan???
Whoa! What about Holder?
The bar is higher after Kavanaugh hoax.
Or Janet Reno?
Not true. Like Susan, I think Pete Hegseth is a good pick, but I think Gaetz is a poor one, and yes, I despised Clinton for his personal failings. As Susan notes, Gaetz doesn’t have much legal experience, and he’s made a lot of enemies of people he needs to work with. He strikes me as a show-boater – the AOC of the MAGA movement. I don’t think he has what it takes to clean out the stables at Justice. I think there are others who would be more effective at the job. Regardless of my opinion, Gaetz isn’t going to be confirmed. It’s not going to happen.
You would know better than I, but my candidate is/was the present (female) AG of Florida (Moody), who is a Trump loyalist and has participated in some high profile cases.
It seems that Trump is almost trolling the establishment with the Gaetz choice, but I’m fine with it provided he’s confirmed by the Senate.
And I want so much to honor Trump’s choices; he’s earned it. Yet we have to live with someone like Gaetz if he’s approved, and then his role becomes a concern for all of us.
She has indeed, and isn’t afraid to take on tough issues.
But he was the gentleman many seem to want.
Those of you who follow Mollie should check out her comments on X. She has several tweets supporting him and explains why.
Indeed.
I also like Harmeet Dhillon’s take:
”
Matt Gaetz is a member of the Florida bar, went to a good law school (William & Mary), practiced law in private practice, and has been an elected official since 2010. Based on historical precedent, he is MORE than qualified to be the U.S. Attorney General. His leadership on important criminal justice issues while in Congress is an added benefit.
It’s time for Republicans to drop their prissy insistence on some opaque set of credentials used mainly to disqualify people they don’t like, and understand that their role is advice and consent, not substitution of their sclerotic preferences for President Trump’s.
If you voted for Merrick Garland, who went on to repeatedly run roughshod over the constitution (wrongful investigations, witch hunts, political theater over investigating states for improving their voting laws etc.) then you really have no standing to object to the nomination of @mattgaetz. He will set the policy, not litigate the cases. He will be surrounded by highly competent and professional deputies experienced in a wide range of legal disciplines.
Can anyone doubt that the DOJ is well overdue for a top to bottom overhaul? It is part of the executive branch. The Republican Party won a decisive national victory and it’s time for us to stop playing political pattycakes and implement the change the American people so clearly want.
Let’s go.”
https://x.com/pnjaban/status/1858942290322223607?t=wfVIikix_-7EZbJo4G40mA&s=09