Chuck Hagel goes to Capitol Hill for his confirmation hearing to be the next Defense Secretary. Besides the tough questioning that he’ll no doubt face from his former Republican colleagues in the Senate, Politico asks a more fundamental question: Is Hagel up to the job? What in his background makes him uniquely qualified to run the Pentagon? Politico examines the major challenges facing Hagel if and when he’s confirmed.
President Obama’s favorability rating hits a three-year high.
That dramatic hearing yesterday on gun safety featuring Gabrielle Giffords and the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre suggests it will be difficult to get major new gun controls passed.
What’s next for Hillary Clinton? New York Times columnist Gail Collins says the first thing she should do is take a bow.
Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick named a former aide to fill the Senate seat of John Kerry, until a special election can determine a longer-term replacement. And right now, polls show former senator Scott Brown, who lost last November to Elizabeth Warren, with a slight lead over Rep. Ed Markey.
Hardball staff