[Blackwell:] The White House is searching to find someone to replace Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. He resigned this week. The reports are he was pushed out by the administration.
[Paul:] Already, two people, though, have turned down the job even before being offered the position. CNN's Erin McPike has more.
[Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary:] New leadership should take over at the Pentagon. And for the last two years, the president's term, that's what's going to happen.
[Erin Mcpike, Cnn Washington Correspondent:] At least how the administration tells it officially. President Obama and outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel agreed on that. But it's led to more second guessing of the president's management style. And even late night comics are taking shots.
[Jimmy Fallon, Host, "the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon":] There are rumors in Washington this week that Joe Biden was not happy with the way the White House forced the resignation of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
[Mcpike:] That narrative may be making the president's challenge of replacing Hagel even tougher.
[Chuck Hagel, Outgoing Defense Secretary:] I would always give you my honest and most informed counsel.
[Unidentified Male:] He served two combat tours in Vietnam.
[Mcpike:] When President Obama was hunting for a new Veterans Affairs secretary this spring after Eric Shinseki stepped down amid the V.A. hospital fiasco, there was no immediate shortlist, because the White House wasn't sure what kind of background would be best for the job. A new attorney general to succeed Eric Holder this fall, his original choices deemed too controversial to pass the Senate so he settled on little know Loretta Lynch. Now, heading into a difficult winter, the White House's only hopes to head the Defense Department, Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed and former Defense Department Undersecretary Michelle Flournoy said no thanks, even before getting the job offer. Number one on the next defense chief's to-do list, carrying out the president's hotly debated strategy against
[Isis. Sen. John Mccain , Arizona:] They're going to have to send more over there. They're going to have to have forward air controllers on the ground. They're going to have to have Special Forces people. We're going to have to have trainers.
[Mcpike:] But the big complaint about the defense secretary's past, the Obama White House micromanages. Now, topping the revised list, low-key but experiences Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who has experience dealing with ISIS on the domestic front. And the former number two at the Pentagon, Ash Carter.
[Blackwell:] All right. Let's go to Erin McPike there at the White House. Erin, how long do you think it will be before the White House finds a replacement for Hagel?
[Mcpike:] Victor, what we have heard from administration officials is that President Obama wants to name someone soon. But keep in mind that at the end of next month, there is a relatively long congressional recess. And then in the first week of January, the new Congress will be sworn in and then there will be a Republican- controlled Senate. So, it will be a while before there are even confirmation hearings in the Senate. And then that person will have to be confirmed, but this could be another couple of months before there is a new defense secretary, Victor and Christi.
[Blackwell:] There are some folks in line ahead of this position. Erin McPike at the White House thanks so much.
[Paul:] Thanks, Erin. Listen, a University of Virginia student reveals what she describes as a horrifying gang rape at a fraternity party. Now, the way the university responded has a lot of not just students but people outraged. We're talking to the student reporter who got a rare interview with a top school official about all of this. Stay close.