He simply folded in the face of questions about his previous positions on Israel, Iran, nuclear Global Zero, Pentagon overspending and so on.

WSJ: Stephens: Hagel's Hruska Defense

Some of the proposed spending cuts range from outdated farm subsidy programs to pricey Pentagon weapons programs and the so-called "carried-interest" loophole on Wall Street.

CNN: Obama unveils budget blueprint

So beyond the guidance we got from the Pentagon yesterday on classified information and sharing information and stuff, are there any additional executive orders or memoranda that President Obama has signed while in office that are now in and of themselves going to be rescinded, tweaked, looked at?

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

The Pentagon has placed so many draconian restrictions on its purchase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and raised the price so high, that it makes little strategic or economic sense to purchase it.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Avoiding an American ambush

But administration officials insist they are philosophically opposed to the idea of routine supplemental appropriations beyond the Pentagon's regular budget, and that, in the future, the Pentagon should be adequately funded so it does not have to rely on emergency appropriations.

CNN: Sources says Pentagon to get $6.5 billion more for this year

So I'm working with the Pentagon, its leadership, and the members of the House and Senate on ending this policy.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Speaks for Gay Civil Rights

So we created a new office, and since there was an enormous amount of attention on the Pentagon, on what we were doing and are we planning for war and the creation of a new office that would have been called the Iraq office would have probably in and of itself created headlines.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations