Jeff Bingaman actually said...

"He has demonstrated, on numerous occasions, his ability to find solutions to very difficult problems and to find solutions that could gain the support of Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike."

"I think all of us, if we were choosing a Secretary of Energy, would want to choose somebody with those attributes."

"Second, we would want a person with demonstrated managerial abilities."

"First we would want a person as Secretary of Energy who had a knowledge of science and engineering."