On the heels of a major carpet-bombing of Barack Obama’s policies and his leadership as a whole, the first casualty of the midterms has been announced this morning. Welcome to the underside of Barack Obama’s campaign bus, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. From the Associated Press:

President Barack Obama says Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has concluded it’s an “appropriate time” for him to complete his service.

Obama says Hagel will stay in place at the Pentagon until a successor is confirmed.

Hagel has had a rocky tenure of nearly two years in which he’s struggled to break through the White House’s insular foreign policy team. He stepped down under pressure amid multiple foreign policy crises, including the rise of the Islamic State group.

But in remarks at the White House Monday, Obama called Hagel “an exemplary defense secretary” and steady hand for strategy and budget. Obama said he’ll always be grateful that Hagel has always “given it to me straight.”

Hagel, who enjoys a painful twenty-six percent approval record among our defense industry, is a veteran of the Vietnam War and was a long-time U.S. senator before becoming Barack Obama’s token Republican cabinet member two short years ago in an effort to look “bipartisan.” His senate confirmation hearings were some of the most cringe-worthy in recent memory, and his tenure has been woefully inept. The rise of ISIS has occurred on his “watch,” as well as a vast increase in combat injuries alongside the “leadership” of Barack Obama.

Here’s Senator Cruz grilling Hagel on his disconcerting position on Israel:

While Hagel’s departure is overdue, the resignation I’d really welcome is Barack Obama’s, who, with the assistance of Mr. Hagel, has done more damage to the morale and combat readiness of our military than any sitting president in recent history.

My prediction: The Defense Secretary nominee will be yet another far left liberal whose main focus is further politically-correcting our military.

UPDATE [11:50 am] In an interview last week with Charlie Rose, Hagel seems to send some parting shots at Barack Obama and his mismanagement of our military, and inferred that Mr. Obama is not a “good leader.” Well, there’s a newsflash.