Schumer backs Hagel

Chuck Hagel’s nomination to secretary of Defense received a major boost this week, after Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told President Obama he was prepared to vote for his confirmation. Support by Schumer, the most influential Jewish member of the Senate, will mollify lawmakers in his own party who are concerned over Hagel’s 2006 comment about the power of the “Jewish lobby” in Washington. Schumer also said the former Republican senator had promised to “do whatever it takes” to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons. Hagel also won the support this week of former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who called the Vietnam veteran “superbly qualified” for the role.