Report: Obama Selects New SecDef

Chuck Hagel is out. Ashton Carter is reportedly in:

Ashton Carter, the former second-in-command at the Pentagon, appears to be the top choice to replace outgoing Secretary Chuck Hagel.

Barring any last minute complications, Ash Carter will be President Barack Obama's choice as the new Secretary of Defense, several U.S. administration officials told CNN.

Dr. Carter, it seems, is absolutely qualified to lead the Pentagon.

CNN has some additional details about who he is:

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Carter reportedly left the Pentagon abruptly and quietly about a year after he was "passed over" for promotion in 2013. Nevertheless, he now appears to be President Obama’s top choice for the soon-to-be-open cabinet position:

Given his level of education and experience in government, one assumes Carter will coast through the nomination process -- especially because at least one senior Senate Republican is already "pleased" with the selection.

"I'm very pleased he is going to be our secretary of defense," Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) recently told the Associated Press. "I can't imagine that he's going to have opposition to his confirmation."

Perhaps, as expected, he won't.

We'll know soon enough.