Exclusive: John Lehman, former Navy Secretary, Lauds Toomey’s ‘Exactly Right Instincts’

John Lehman, member of the 9/11 Commission and former Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan, endorsed Pat Toomey today in Harrisburg. Lehman’s endorsement undercuts opponent Joe Sestak’s central theme, which has been to play up his own naval service,

Battle ‘10 spoke with Lehman about his endorsement, and what, for him, put Toomey over the top as better equipped to handle national security.

“I think Toomey is a guy who really has given a lot of thought to this, a very bright guy,” Lehman told Battle ‘10, and his instincts are exactly the right instincts on [national security] issues, which is a strong defense, underpinned by a strong economy.”

“The big thing that separates him” from Joe Sestak, Lehman explained, is that “Joe Sestak is a true believer in the Obama creed that negotiations can carry the day, and that the way to deal with terrorists and terrorism is by example, by giving them the rights of citizens, Habeas Corpus, and access to civilian courts and appeals.”

“Pat’s done his homework, he’s read the 9/11 [Commission] lessons, and [understands] the terrible damage done first by the Clinton administration by pursuing terrorism as law enforcement.”

“If that wasn’t an abject lesson that I thought everyone had learned,” said Lehman, “this administration has gone back as if 9/11 never happened.”