Senator Franken calls Hagel ‘War Hero’
EAGAN (AP) — Minnesota Sen. Al Franken is praising President Barack Obama's pick of former Nebraska Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his next defense secretary.
Franken calls Hagel, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, "a war hero." And Franken is promising to listen to his testimony.
Franken says he know Hagel will get a tough time from Arizona Sen. John McCain. Hagel once made reference to the "Jewish lobby" in the United States, a comment that McCain called "inappropriate."
Some Democrats have criticized Hagel for saying in 1998 that a nominee for an ambassador post was "openly, aggressively gay." Franken, a Democrat, says Hagel has apologized for those comments, and he doesn't think that's a reason to deny him the post.
Franken also says he's interested in hearing Hagel's comments on Iran's nuclear program.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.