(CNN) – President Barack Obama said Monday he will nominate former Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican, to become Defense Secretary and tapped his chief counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, to become director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Hagel will be a "champion" for members of America's military, Obama said in announcing the former Nebraska senator as his choice to succeed Leon Panetta as secretary of defense.
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He recognizes that "when it comes to the defense of our country, we are not Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans," Obama said.
Brennan, meanwhile, will bring "the leadership of one of the nation's most skilled and respected intelligence professionals" to the Central Intelligence Agency, Obama said in introducing Brennan as his choice to become the agency's next director.
"Today I can say to the men and women of the CIA, in Director John Brennan you will have one of your own, a leader who knows you, who cares for you deeply, and will fight for you every single day," Obama said.
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Excellent nominees. They both have the bonafides that these positions require.
If Ben wants to box on we will.
Now lets just see if the GOP senators will really try to derail the nomination for Secretary of Defense of a Viet Nam War hero who also served honorably for 12 years in the U.S. Senate (as a Republican yet). They want so badly to give President Obama a "slap-down" on something......it will be entertaining to watch them twist around and defy their core principles in order to fight a nomination that they should logically be very supportive of. Let the games begin!
Yes great nominees, meanwhile, did my POTUS do something to his hair?!
I liked him as a young Silver Fox!
lol!
Excellent choices by President Obama and great for the country. If John McCain had not allowed his uncontrollable disposition to get in the way, he too may have an opportunity to serve in one of these positions either in the Bush adm. or Obamas. But he has proven over and over again he can't control himself and it just makes it clearer as why he picked Palin, neither have any control or bring anything to the table other than disruption.
well what is them white house leaders an them republicans an that bull headed boehner is going to do now about obama an who will be in the senator seat
The people of America lost our freedom in April, 1865 when Lincoln took complete control. Our current President is only tighting the noose.
These are poor choices. You want Brennan who has a hit list of people around the world and probably including people living in this country? Towards, Hagel, I would agree with his point of not wanting to go to war however, a Viet Nam hero? The world hero is brandied around to much. I appreciate him serving in the military but that does not constitute being a hero.
How come the right is not complaining about Hagel's comments about gays and the military? How come their sticking to just the Israil related stuff? I think it is because everyone except neo-cons agrees that it is wrong to turn a blind eye to Israel and tell them, "We got your back."
Great choices, Mr. President! And I agree with Dominican Mama 4 Obama! There's some touch up with the hair, but I kinda like the gray, too!! lol....
Why call them the nominees when we know full and well that they are Obama's appointees. Congress has no say.
If the Republicans filibuster Chuck Hagel, a decorated veteran and distinguished Senator, we need to get the recall petitions ready! We need to target each obstructionist Republican for defeat in their next election. America can't tolerate internal terrorism.
Wilson wrote:
The people of America lost our freedom in April, 1865 when Lincoln took complete control. Our current President is only tighting the noose.
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For those of you out there who wonder why so many of Barack Obama's critics are labeled racists, here's one example of why that is so. More reasons will be the enthusiastic acclimation high regard that such comments achieve.