7 Jan 2013 7:27 pm
After weeks of speculation, President Obama formally tapped former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., to be defense secretary today, inviting a potential nominating battle from members of both sides of the aisle even as he prepares for several tough legislative fights in the coming months. Mr. Obama, announcing his pick in the White House this afternoon, lauded the Vietnam veteran and two-term senator for his military credentials, his loyalty to the troops, and his willingness to go against the party grain. He also formally nominated John Brennan, a 25-year CIA veteran and his top counterterrorism adviser, to lead the CIA. "Chuck Hagel is the leader that our troops deserve," Mr. Obama said today in the press conference announcing his decision. "He understands that America stands strongest when we stand with allies and friends... Maybe most importantly, Chuck knows that war is not an abstraction. He understands that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, that's something we only do when it's absolutely necessary." http://www.cbsnews.c...ense-secretary/ YAY!!! Misty loves her some Chuck Hagel.