22. Why Hagel?

http://theweek.com/article/index/238422/why-hagel

            Marc Ambinder, the author of the article "Why Hagel?," writes in his article about why President of the United States Obama has chosen Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. According to the article, Obama's decision was a rather interesting and astonishing choice. Obama is a very well known Democrat and it would be more than logical for him to appoint a Democrat as Secretary of Defense. When Obama was first elected president, he had nominated and appointed a strong Democrat as the Secretary of Defense: Leon Panetta. He wanted to establish a precedent of a strong sense of national security, an essential national matter. Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska was appointed Secretary of Defense. The author states that Obama now understood the massive institutional and political obligation of the role; he had to wisely choose someone to give him counsel and advice. The reason Obama chose Hagel was simple: Obama trusted Hagel and wanted his advices.
           The author of this short article uses rhetorical devices to achieve his purpose. The author wants to explain to the reader why Obama had chosen Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Since the Secretary of Defense holds a very strong political force and position, people were shocked when Democrat Obama had chosen a Republican to be his personal counselor. The author answers his own question by stating that Obama trusted former Republican senator of Nebraska Chuck Hagel to hold such a strong and important position. Hagel has the power to give the president advices and counsel. Obama had trusted Hagel with issues in Afghanistan and China as well as other national security matters in which Hagel had proven himself to be truly competent to do a good job. People were shocked and the author explains that although it is a very shocking and unusual decision made by the president, Hagel can be trusted to be the United States' Secretary of Defense.