Though likely to be confirmed, McCain questions Hagel's qualifications
| Washington
Republican Senator John McCain on Sunday said his former colleague聽聽was not qualified to be US defense secretary but the聽聽would likely vote on his nomination rather than hold it up with procedural hurdles.
Before going on a weeklong recess, Republican lawmakers succeeded in delaying a Senate vote on Hagel's nomination earlier this month. Hagel is expected to win confirmation if a vote is held because Democrats control 55 votes in the 100-seat聽.
"I do not believe that聽, who is a friend of mine, is qualified to be secretary of defense," McCain of聽聽said on CNN's "State of the Union" show.
"I believe that when the questions are answered, and I believe they will be by this coming week that the president deserves an up or down vote" on Hagel, said McCain, who is a member of the聽.
Hagel's nomination was likely to go for a vote in the聽聽"barring some additional revelation," he said.
Hagel, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, angered Republicans when as senator he broke from his party by opposing former President聽's handling of the聽听飞补谤.
Republicans are demanding more information from the administration related to the attacks on U.S. facilities in聽,听, last year.
罢丑别听聽confirmation vote on John Brennan for CIA director also faces delay over the request by Republicans for more information related to聽.
"I don't want to put a hold on anybody, but the American people deserve answers about聽. There are so many questions that are still out there, including what was the president doing the night聽聽happened?" McCain said.
