Hagel Apologizes About Remarks Against Gay Diplomat

Chuck Hagel, a candidate for secretary of defense whose record on gay-rights issues has come under fire in recent days, apologized on Friday for remarks he made as a senator that an openly gay man nominated for a diplomatic post should not represent the United States.

“My remarks 14 years ago in 1998 were insensitive,” Mr. Hagel said in a statement, referring to a newspaper interview he gave about James C. Hormel, a San Francisco philanthropist nominated by President Bill Clinton as ambassador to Luxembourg.

Nati Harnik/Associated Press Senator Chuck Hagel.

“They do not reflect my views or the totality of my public record, and I apologize to Ambassador Hormel and any L.G.B.T. Americans who may question my commitment to their civil rights,” Mr. Hagel said. “I am fully supportive of ‘open service' and committed to L.G.B.T. military families.”

Since Mr. Hagel's name emerged as a candidate for the Pentagon last week, he has been sharply criticized for his record on Iran, Israel and militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as comments he made about pro-Israel lobbying groups in Washington.

Mr. Hagel has not addressed those criticisms, though his office has circulated letters attesting to his qualifications, signed by retired military commanders and senior diplomats.

In 1998, Mr. Hagel, a Republican and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was approached by his fellow Nebraskan in the Senate, Bob Kerrey, on behalf of Mr. Hormel, whos e nomination was being held up by conservative Republicans.

Mr. Hagel did not oppose the nomination when Mr. Hormel came before the panel. But he later came out against it, saying that an “openly, aggressively gay” man should not be a representative of the United States.

“They are representing America,” Mr. Hagel said in an interview with The Omaha World-Herald. “They are representing our lifestyle, our values, our standards. And I think it is an inhibiting factor to be gay - openly, aggressively gay like Mr. Hormel - to do an effective job.”

Although Republicans succeeded in preventing a vote on the nomination, Mr. Hormel received a recess appointment from Mr. Clinton and went on to serve in Luxembourg.

Gay rights groups said Mr. Hagel's commen ts raised questions about his ability to implement the repeal of the law prohibiting openly gay people from serving in the military. In 1999, he said he opposed repealing the law, telling The New York Times that “the U.S. armed forces aren't some social experiment.”

But some activists welcomed his apology on Friday.

“We are pleased that Senator Hagel recognized the importance of retracting his previous statement about Ambassador Hormel and affirming his commitment to Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal and L.G.B.T. military families,” said  Allyson Robinson, an Army veteran and executive director of OutServe-SLDN, a gay rights organization. “We look forward to learning more about his commitment to full L.G.B.T. military equality as this nomination and confirmation process unfolds.”

White House officials say that Mr. Obama had not made a decision about the Pentagon job. Officials said the short list also included Michèle A. Flournoy, a former undersec retary of defense, and Ashton B. Carter, who serves as deputy defense secretary.

The White House on Thursday declined to respond to criticism of Mr. Hagel, but the press secretary, Jay Carney, described him as “a remarkable servant to this country.”

The president will announce the nomination of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts as secretary of state Friday afternoon.