Comment: I agree, Hagel is a good choice.

"Chuck knows that war is not an abstraction," Obama said. "He understands that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, that's something we only do when it's absolutely necessary."

And as strategic a nomination as Hagel is, the nomination of Brennan is an equally masterful move. John Brennan was a strong opponent of many of the policies of the Bush administration, such as the pre-emptive war in Iraq and coercive interrogation tactics like waterboarding.

In addition, Brennan was the first Obama administration official to publicly acknowledge the administration's highly secretive overseas drone program. Although Brennan defended the legality of the overseas program and credited it with protecting American lives and preventing potential terror attacks, that admission will put a SPOTLIGHT on the controversial drone program.

The American Civil Liberties Union voiced its concerns over Brennan's nomination, saying the Senate should not move forward until it is clear the nominee "will end its targeted killing program."

The beginning of BO's 2nd term shows to be interesting, indeed.