Mary Landrieu will vote to confirm Chuck Hagel as defense secretary (Vitter No!)
by Bruce Alpert - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Washington -- Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., announced Thursday night that she'll vote to confirm former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel as defense secretary. Landrieu had met with Hagel, a Republican, earlier in the day, and then announced her support a few hours later.

Louisiana's other senator, Republican David Vitter, has already announced his plans to vote against Hagel's confirmation.

In a daylong hearing last week before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Vitter asked some of the toughest questions in one of the most contentious confirmation hearings in years. Not only Vitter, but Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in particular, were exceedingly tough on Hagel. Afterwards, Vitter said Hagel probably lost some votes with his "flip flops" and efforts to distance himself from previous statements critical of Israel and questioning the effectiveness of sanctions on Iran. It's not clear when the Senate will vote on Hagel's nomination.