Obama Nominates Hagel, Brennan

Well, it’s official. After much speculation, President Obama announced his nomination of Chuck Hagel to serve as the next secretary of defense at a White House press conference Monday. Hagel, Obama noted, will be the first person of enlisted rank and the first Vietnam veteran to lead the Department of Defense, as well as the first secretary to be wounded in war. The president also announced John Brennan as his pick for director of the CIA, calling him “one of our nation’s most skilled and respected intelligence professionals.” On stage as well were outgoing Secretary of Defense and CIA Director, respectively, Leon Panetta and Mike Morell, who each said a few words following the president’s speech.