[Matt]

Democrats have adopted Hagel as their poster boy for the same reason Republicans have adopted Manchin as theirs. He says what they want to hear. Hagel isn't a strong choice for SecDef, IMO.

It is a shame that Obama cannot get Gates to come out of retirement. Gates was probably the best SecDef we've had since....well....Dick Cheney. For all Cheney's shortcomings as VP, he was a great Defense Secretary (his handling of the first Iraq War was inspired).