Hagel’s Nomination As Defense Secretary Gains Momentum

By Paul Kane, Published: January 15

Despite all the sound and fury before and after his nomination, Chuck Hagel began his bid to lead the Pentagon as a favorite to win Senate confirmation. And he seems only to be gaining momentum.

For sure, the Republican former senator from Nebraska made his share of enemies during his two terms in the Senate, which now must consider his nomination as defense secretary, but he began with two key advantages.

One is traditional senatorial courtesy, which has almost always meant a relatively smooth confirmation process for any current or former senator chosen for a Cabinet or ambassadorial post.

More important, almost every failed nomination of the past three decades has stemmed from key defections within the president’s own party, and so far Hagel’s opposition has come almost entirely from fellow Republicans.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hagels-nomination-as-defense-secretary-gains-momentum/2013/01/15/dbfd1afa-5f37-11e2-a389-ee565c81c565_story.html