Senate panel approves Pompeo for secretary of state after Rand Paul changes his mind

[Free Vulcan]

CIA Director Mike Pompeo has been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be secretary of state in a party line vote. One Republican switched his vote late in the day, enabling Pompeo's nomination to advance to a vote by the full Senate.

Pompeo, had faced serious opposition before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's vote until Monday. However, though he earlier did not appear to have enough votes to recommend him to the full Senate, he ended up with a slim majority after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, changed his mind. President Trump said a few days ago that Rand Paul was a "very special guy" who has "never let me down."

Read more at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-pompeo-senate-foreign-relations-committee-vote-on-confirmation-amid-rare-opposition-today-live-updates/

[Emjay]

CIA Director Mike Pompeo has been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be secretary of state in a party line vote. One Republican switched his vote late in the day, enabling Pompeo's nomination to advance to a vote by the full Senate.

Pompeo, had faced serious opposition before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's vote until Monday. However, though he earlier did not appear to have enough votes to recommend him to the full Senate, he ended up with a slim majority after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, changed his mind. President Trump said a few days ago that Rand Paul was a "very special guy" who has "never let me down."

Read more at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-pompeo-senate-foreign-relations-committee-vote-on-confirmation-amid-rare-opposition-today-live-updates/

I can't remember what Rand Paul had against the guy, but I guess it turned out not to be a deal breaker for Rand.

[Cyber Liberty]

I can't remember what Rand Paul had against the guy, but I guess it turned out not to be a deal breaker for Rand.

Your question about this got me to thinking and looking up stories from last month, to help me understand what Paul had against Pompeo.  He didn't like Pompeo's stance on the war going on in Iraq, and especially Pompeo's view of "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques."  Rand Paul called it "torture."  His words about Pompeo:  "I think the debate over whether or not America is a country in favor of torture or not is an important one [sic].” 

This is why politicians should not use hyperbole to knock off an opposing view.  Rand Paul just said, using his own words, that Rand Paul has decided torture is OK.  The use of the word "torture" to frame Pompeo as evil painted Paul into a corner, and walking that back makes him look unprincipled.  He made the same claim against  Gina Haspel who is in line to be confirmed for Director of CIA.  Is he going to walk that one back, too?  He called her "gleeful" in her defense of torture.

Source, including the quote:

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/14/rand-paul-opposes-mike-pompeo-state-461749