Thanks but no thanks
Top candidates don't want Chuck Hagel's job
Maybe the rise of ISIS and cuts to the Defense Department's budget are making the job of Defense Secretary increasingly unappealing. Or at least, that's one possible reason why multiple top candidates have already said they're not interested in filling the shoes of Chuck Hagel, who resigned from the position on Monday.
Fox News reports that Michele Flournoy, the former undersecretary of Defense for policy, and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) emerged as top prospects, but each made clear that they have no desire to take on the Cabinet-level post.
Defense Department spokesman Adm. John Kirby acknowledged that there's "a lot going on around the world and at the Pentagon," and that the high-pressure nature of the job deters many who seek job stability.
Hagel is the third Defense Secretary to serve in the Obama administration in six years.