Let's face it, there is a lot to discuss about nominating Hagel for SecDef. But the one I haven't seen is the cover for the 2016 election. Huh, you say?
Look at it this way - assume Hagel is there to manage the Afghanistan wind down. And the debt ceiling does come to a revenue/spending "compromise. In that case, the defense budget will logically be exposed to cuts.
A Democratic president a Democratic SecDef - can you hear the "they are gutting our military - kick them out" in 2014 and 2016?
But a Democratic president and a known Republican SecDef - especially if Obama, as is likely, says "you lead on the plan for cuts, Chuck"?
That is one good reason for the Republicans to blast Hagel - they know h may just tell the truth and make the cuts and then both parties own them.
Just saying. Makes 2014 a very different discussion in the elections when you can say "your guy was making the cuts".