Senate Republicans have blocked the nomination of Senator Chuck Hagel to become the next secretary of defense in a move blasted by Democrats. Republicans say they want more information first from the White House about events surrounding the fatal attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last September. This is Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

Sen. John Cornyn: “The majority leader knows full well that the reason why cloture was denied, or the debate — closing off debate was denied, is because there are reasonable requests being made on this side for additional information. And I hope and trust that that information will be provided here in the next few days, and when we come back from the recess, we’ll have another vote and another opportunity for senators to express themselves. But this is not any attempt to kill this nomination. This is not a filibuster.”

Democrats are vowing to revive Hagel’s nomination following next week’s recess. Despite Republican denials, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the block represented an historic filibuster.

Sen. Harry Reid: “The filibuster of Sen. Hagel’s nomination is unprecedented. I repeat, not a single nominee for secretary of defense ever in the history of our country has been filibustered. Never, ever!”

Hagel is a former Republican senator who has faced criticism for straying from the party line on Iran and the Iraq war and for making comments perceived as critical of Israel. President Obama touted Hagel’s Republican credentials Thursday during an online video chat.

President Obama: “Chuck Hagel, who, by the way, was a member of the Republican caucus, a colleague of all of these folks, who the Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, and others consistently praised when he was still in the Senate; who has two Purple Stars — two purple Hearts, was an extraordinary soldier, was head of the USO; served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and is praised by people like Brent Scowcroft, who was George H.W. Bush’s national security adviser, and Colin Powell and others, is imminently qualified to be secretary of defense.”