Chuck Hagel Confirmed in Committee for Sec Defense, Will Not Attend SOTU

Impact

The Senate Armed Services Committee barely confirmed the nomination of former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense earlier today, but NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports that he will not attend the State of the Union Address tonight.

Politico reports that it's not clear whether he will be able to overcome a threatened Republican filibuster and be confirmed by the full Senate. Should he survive and take office, he will face immense challenges, including the looming sequester that will slash the defense budget.