The Hill News

President Obama will nominate CIA Director Leon Panetta this week as secretary of Defense, replacing Robert Gates as the top defense official in the country. The selection ends a cycle of self-doubt among leading Democrats who over the years have bowed to the GOP and media hype that the party is soft on defense.

Good for President Obama. By appointing Panetta, an eminently qualified and experienced leader, he’s demonstrating that Democrats are well-suited to lead the DOD. I love Bill Clinton, but I didn’t appreciate his willingness to reinforce the negative narrative about Democrats and defense by appointing Republicans to the post. Bill Cohen was surely qualified to be secretary of Defense â€" and he should have served in a Republican administration.

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