Hasta La Gadget!

Here’s where the Senate left the matter of former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel’s nomination to be secretary of defense: Last week, Senate Republicans filibustered the nomination. Because: reasons. They needed more information, urgently! But first, they are going on vacation, see ya! Still, on their way out the door, there was a basic admission that when the recess was up, so was the jig — Hagel would eventually receive an up-or-down vote, and get confirmed.

Since then, the anti-Hagel forces have not enjoyed a particularly good week, what with the heaping ridicule on those who promulgated the “Friends Of Hamas” story dominating Wednesday. And now, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has announced that he’ll vote in support of Hagel’s nomination. Hagel was one vote shy of getting past the filibuster, Shelby is that one vote, and so now it’s just a wait until the Senate reconvenes.

But maybe this new gambit from John Cornyn makes sense to somebody. Today, the Republican Texas senator sent a letter to the White House asking President Barack Obama — who has known he would win this fight for many days now — to pick a new secretary of defense nominee:

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