Today, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel joined WHBY radio show “Fresh Take” to discuss why he has crossed party lines to back Joe Biden.
Listen to the full interview here.
On crossing party lines to endorse Joe Biden:
“All my career, all my life…I’ve always believed that leaders must have some requisite skills and values, regardless of your party or political philosophy. I mean like character, integrity, honesty, decency, dignity. And then come the policies… As I’ve watched this president over the last four years, he doesn’t check any of those boxes. We are at a defining time in our country — and in the world — where we’ve got to have a leader who is respected and who tells us the truth…We take an oath of office to the Constitution, not a political party, not a president… Also, I know Biden. I’ve worked with him, been all over the world with him… Our policies differences are there — yes. But this is a uniter — this is a guy who brings the country together, not divides the country. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t call people names. He gets things done. He works with Republicans and Democrats alike.”
On Joe Biden’s record on the economy:
“When Obama and Biden first took office, they inherited a financial crisis. It was the worst financial crisis in this country since the Great Depression. Obama asked Biden to lead that Recovery Act. He did lead that Recovery Act. He worked with Republicans. He put America back on track and the result was the longest recovery of jobs and growth in the history of our country.”
On Joe Biden as a leader:
“What you’ll see in him is bringing a governing coalition together, working with Republicans, working with Democrats, working with everybody who wants to turn this country around… He’ll put us back on track… He knows there’s only one way to do that. You can’t continue to divide the country.. The country gets weaker. He knows better than that. That’s not his style. That’s not his history. I have great confidence that he not only understands that, but he will lead in a united way.”
