White House Daring GOP to Oppose Hagel Nomination

Former Republican senator is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam war

The White House is all but daring Republicans to oppose President Obama's nomination of Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) to lead the Pentagon.

The administration believes Hagel's standing as a Republican war hero — he was awarded two Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam — means Republicans would be making a mistake in opposing his nomination.