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I support President Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. Pete is an old acquaintance whom we first heard from at Power Line by email with respect to his service guarding the worst of the worst at Guantanamo. Thereafter he wrote us long reports from Afghanistan during his service there.

Pete’s skills, experience, and native intelligence could make him a terrific Secretary of Defense. When it comes to the armed force of the United States, he has his priorities in order. He would be a vast improvement over Lloyd Austin.

One of the current raps against Pete is his drinking. I actually went drinking with Pete a while back. It occurred to me that I have the rare opportunity to testify to my own observations in the context of a current controversy.

When Pete returned to Minnesota after his Army service, John Hinderaker and I met up with him to talk about life at Brit’s Pub in downtown Minneapolis. We actually sat at the bar. John had another obligation and took off after an hour or so. Pete and I stuck around and kept the conversation going for another hour or two.

My limit is two beers and I doubt I reached it that night. According to the news, Pete’s limit may be higher, but he must have been far from it. Neither Pete nor I showed any effects of the alcohol.

I know nothing about Pete’s private life, which has also become an issue. Paul Simon once wrote a song with the alternate title “How I Was Robert McNamara’d Into Submission.” Pete may be able to update the song with the alternate title “How I Was Brett Kavanaugh’d Into Submission.” That seems to be the game played against him now.